


What if He Stayed

by leo_probably



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fix-It, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25759441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leo_probably/pseuds/leo_probably
Summary: "We aren’t the lucky ones, that’s for damn sure. But...we’re not the worst, either. You and I, we’ve both found dear comrades already, haven’t we?"What if Sasuke hadn't left Konoha on that fateful night? How would team dynamics change? How would the universe as we know it dissolve and reform? In this fix-it canon divergent fanfiction, our story begins right after Tsunade claims the title of Fifth Hokage and heals Kakashi and Sasuke. The Sound Four, Orochimaru, and ever-looming Akatsuki -- threats are knocking at their door. How will they answer? (This is going to be a long, slow-burn type fanfiction that addresses and fixes canon plot points through the 4th Shinobi War and beyond. More characters, including the Konoha Eleven, Team Taka, and Sand Siblings, will be introduced later on)
Relationships: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura/Yamanaka Ino, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 95
Kudos: 157





	1. What the Hell, Sasuke? The Sound Four Arrive

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Thanks for your interest in this fic, I hope you enjoy your time here. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to comment below or send me an ask on tumblr under the username leo-probably. I have about thirteen pages of notes for this fanfiction and let me tell you,,, you're in for a wild ride. Stay safe out there! :^)

“ _ You’re still too weak. You don’t have enough hate, and you know something? _ ” he leaned in, breath hot against Sasuke’s cheek “ _...you never will, _ ” and the world went black.

The thought plays through his head as Sasuke climbs the backstairs of the hospital, Naruto and Sakura trailing closely behind. The cold metal against his bare feet reminds him that he is here, but his mind remains stuck on that night, stuck in that hotel, stuck on all his shortcomings. Naruto’s shoe squelches against the step and Sasuke feels his shoulder’s drawing up, knotting in tension. Naruto, who was dead last in the academy. Naruto, who wasn’t even supposed to graduate. Naruto, who took down Gaara when all Sasuke could do was  _ lie there.  _ Naruto, who was Itachi’s target-- the rooftop door comes into view. Sasuke slams it open, as Naruto swallows and follows suit. 

Sakura is rooted in place. She feels tears building up, threatening to spill over her eyes. 'Sasuke-kun...whatever’s going on with him, he needs our help.' Why isn’t she stronger? Why can’t she step in and break up this sparring match? “Stop!!! Stop it!!” her voice cracks and the tears finally pour down, soaking the collar of her shirt. They charge at each other, jutsu crackling in the air, and she finds the strength to run. ‘Stupid Sakura,’ she leans too far forward, tripping over her own two feet, ‘always too weak and too slow.’ 

The last thing Kakashi expected to see as he signed himself out of the hospital and started his trek home was a bright light on the hospital roof. The last thing he expected to hear was the chirping of his prized chidori and Sakura’s scream of horror. Some days, he supposes, are really just that shitty. He barely makes it in time to deflect their attacks and, when it’s all said and done, he wonders whether or not what he told Sakura was true.  _ “Don’t worry about them, Sakura, everything will go back to normal, _ ” he said. Was there ever a semblance of normal with this team? ‘Maa, no time to ponder right now. Better talk to Sasuke.’ 

Naruto has had his fair share of fights with Sasuke, there’s no doubt about it. Everyone is always ‘Sasuke this’ and ‘Sasuke that,’ it’s no wonder he gets on Naruto’s nerves! But he can’t help but wonder what this fight on the rooftop was all about. Sasuke...was he really aiming to hurt Naruto with that chidori? His eyes were so angry, so far away...He hasn’t seen that look in a long time. Naruto’s chest rumbles and his eyes pinch; he’s just about to run off himself when he realizes Sakura is staring at him, eyes still wet. “Sakura-chan, what’s up with him?” She sighs, wiping at her already-reddened face. “I wish I knew, Naruto. I really do.” She decides to tell him everything she knows. 

“ _ Even if you succeed in revenge, all that will remain is emptiness,”  _ the leaves rustle in the wind, carrying the scent of family dinners with them. _ “We aren’t the lucky ones, that’s for damn sure. But...we’re not the worst, either. You and I, we’ve both found dear comrades already, haven’t we? It’s because I have lost that I understand.”  _ Sasuke drags his feet along a familiar path, halfway there before he realizes he had not officially checked out of the hospital, his mind reeling. “ _ I taught you the chidori because you now have something important that you must protect. It is not to be used on comrades or for revenge.”  _ Why, then, does it feel so fitting?

Naruto and Sakura are silent on their descent down the metal stairs, neither of them sure what to say; the dull metal ting of their shoes and uneven breathing are their only relief. It takes two more flights before Naruto finally speaks up. “Orochimaru, huh? That’s why he had those weird marks on his skin when we fought against Gaara.” His eyebrows are furrowed, deep in thought. “When Sasuke came to the hotel, he said that that creepy dude was his brother, the one he wants to kill. Do you think Orochimaru offered to help him do it?” 

Sakura mulls it over for a few minutes, twisting her hair around her fingers, and the stairway descends into silence once more. “When we first became a team and completed the Bell Test with Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke mentioned his brother ‘making him cry,’ and when he woke up in the Forest of Death he said that he understood his role as an ‘avenger.’ I’m sure the two are related, but what did his brother do? Why would Orochimaru want to help him?” Sasuke was never a very talkative person and it only got worse when they came back from Tazuna’s escort mission. She never felt it was her place to butt in. 

“Well, whatever Orochimaru’s goals are, it can’t be good! I mean, he’s a creep! He tried to kill us! We’ve got to convince Sasuke to stay here, right?” He clenches his fist and turns to Sakura with a too-wide grin, eyes squeezing shut. She smiles, rubbing the forming tears away from her eyes, “yeah, for sure.” 

‘I’ve gotten taller,’ his feet drag underneath the water’s surface as he dangles his legs off the edge of the dock. How many years has it been since his father taught him the fireball jutsu? Four, five? He’s lost count, and he can’t help but grimace at what a pathetic thought that is. He kicks at the water and his reflection ripples back at him, distorted and skewed in all the ways his real body can’t be. “Yo!!! Sasuke!!” He turns to see Naruto, scruffed up and smiling, waving frantically. Sakura trails two steps behind him, a smile on her face that doesn’t reach her tear-stained, cloudy eyes. Sasuke frowns, standing to meet them. Naruto’s smile doesn’t drop, but his shoulders sag, eyebrows narrowing. “I knew you’d be here, bastard.” 

“Want a round two, loser?” Sasuke’s arms cross, his frown replaced with a wiry smirk. “No,” Sakura’s voice breaks their silent feud, “Sasuke-kun, we came to check on you. At the hospital, you--”

“Consider me checked on, I’m fine,” he drops his arms, quickly shoving his hands into his pockets. Naruto’s hands clench, shoulders squaring, “Hey!!” He jabs his finger in Sasuke’s face, “what’s your deal, Sasuke? Sakura is worried about you! What the hell is that? ‘Consider me checked on’ like you’re all high and mighty!!” Sasuke bites his lip, eyes narrowing and shoulders tensing. “You got something to say to that, asshole!?”

“...I’m sorry,” Naruto blinks, lowering his waving hands. “I...didn’t mean that,” Sasuke blushes and turns his head, lowering his gaze to the water below. “Hey, uh, it’s alright, y’know!! Right, Sakura-chan?” 

Sakura, who’d been staring wide-eyed like a deer in headlights, nods. “Sasuke-kun,” she reaches out, stopping just short of Sasuke’s shoulder when he flinches away, “I know...we know that you have a lot on your plate. But you don’t have to shoulder everything alone. We can all get stronger together. We can face your brother, and Orochimaru, and anyone else. Just…” the tears she promised not to shed start welling back up, “Just please don’t leave us, Sasuke-kun.” 

“Yeah!! I haven’t caught up to you yet, bastard, you…you can’t leave.” Naruto’s voice wavers as he rubs the back of his neck, eyes downcast. Sasuke’s eyes snap up, a whirlwind of emotions passing through his eyes in seconds. By the time Naruto looks back up, Sasuke’s calm demeanor has already been replaced. “Of course I won’t leave, usuratonkachi. Why are you even worried about that?” The sinking feeling in his stomach begs to differ. 

‘I’ve never seen Naruto and Sasuke so torn.’ Sakura clears her throat, wiping at her eyes. “It’s getting pretty late, can you two walk me home? I’m not quite sure how we got here, since we started from the hospital and all…” A weak smile dances on her lips, her arms braced behind her back. 

“Sure, Sakura-chan!! Right, Sasuke? We can walk you home!” Naruto’s demeanor completely changes, feet bouncing in place and arms waving. Sasuke frowns, fists clenching in his pockets, before he says “...yeah.” With that, the three are on their way to Sakura’s house. “Ne, ne, Sakura-chan, what about stopping for some Ichiraku’s before we drop you off? I’m starving!!”

“No, Naruto. My parents will kill me if I don’t get home before sundown…” 

“Awww, no fun! What about you, bastard, want to stop for some ramen?” 

“...hn.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, huh!? Are we going or are you--” The air changes in an instant, leaves swirling as four figures land in front of the trio. Sasuke is immediately on guard, settling into a fighting stance; Sakura grabs a kunai as Naruto is roundhouse kicked backwards, skidding down the street. “Hey, what the hell, bastards!!!! What’s your deal!?” 

The one who kicked Naruto holds up all six arms dismissively, waving them down the road. “We’re here for the raven. You two squirts might as well scram.” Sakura’s eyes narrow. “For Sasuke? Why, did Orochimaru send you?” 

The teen with two heads - two bodies? - speaks up from six-arm’s left. “Oh, a smart one, is she?” He moves fast, knocking her off her feet before she can throw her kunai, pinning her down. “I like smart ones…” 

“Hey! Get away from her, freak!” Naruto struggles to his feet, tearing down the street. Sasuke breaks into action, throwing a punch at the silver-haired boy only to be caught by the tall, orange-haired man. Sasuke’s entire forearm fits within the man’s grip and he’s easily taken off his feet. Sasuke uses this momentum, kicking up and outwards, hoping to strike the man’s abdomen. “Too slow, kid,” his left leg is caught in the man’s other hand. Sasuke grits his teeth and swings his right leg up, nearly making contact with the man’s crotch before he’s let go, tumbling to the ground. 

Two-body kid got up at some point doing their little squabble, coming to watch Sasuke’s battle. Naruto is crouched near Sakura, making sure she’s alright. They both rise to their feet as Sasuke gets to his knees. “Who are you? What do you want with me?” 

“It’s not what we want with you, little raven. It’s the boss’ orders to get you to come with us.”

“Yeah? Well fuck off, I don’t want whatever the hell you’re selling.” He wipes his chin, lunging forward towards six-arms, blocking his punch and hopping up, leaning into a handstand on his back. Two-body runs to attack and Sasuke swipes his leg out, knocking the teen backwards. At the same time, Naruto runs forward, kicking two-body sideways, sending him skittering a few yards down the road, “that’s for Sakura, jerk!” The big orange-haired man rushes Sasuke, jabbing at his face. Instinctively, Sasuke reaches out, looping his arm through the purple obi he adorns, tossing the man up and over his head before launching off six-arms, effectively plunging him into the ground.

“A feisty one, huh? But still so weak…” two-body, standing away from the battle, thrusts his arms forward, “... _do_ …” 

“‘Do’? What the he--” Naruto can’t finish his sentence before a pang hits his chest unlike anything he’s experienced before. 

“You see, bones are such dense material, very low pitched. Let’s try ‘ _re_ ’, shall we?” The note rattles their insides, taking Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke to their knees in an instant. 

Sakura’s mind races, but there’s nothing she can do to help the situation as it stands. ‘That sick grin… it reminds me too much of that day in the forest…’ a chill runs down her spine and her eyes widen. Her only hope is to call them out. “Hey!! We’re Konoha ninja, so if you plan on kidnapping Sasuke, you won’t get very far!! We’ll alert the hokage immediately, you hear that!?” 

“Kidnapping? Who ever said we'd that?” The Sound girl finally speaks up, crossing her arms. “No, we’re here to put an offer on the table. It’s up to the little raven here,” she glances towards Sasuke, nodding at him, “to decide whether or not he wants to come with us. You lot can’t protect him forever. What happens when the night is dark and he slips away?” Sakura looks down, ashamed of her inability. Naruto tries to struggle to his knees. “Sasuke, you have the potential for some much more than...this,” she gestures towards Sakura and Naruto, “You must realize that, right? Come with us...or don’t. Your choice.” With that, they disappear, the blowing leaves their only trace.

“Sasuke-kun…” Sasuke sits, rooted to the spot, clutching his ribs. “Yo, bastard, you alright? Who were those guys?” He looks up, and Sakura wonders just what’s going on inside that head. 

She winds up getting home late.


	2. Midnight Stroll

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, welcome back to What if He Stayed!! I promise that the plot line will take off within the next chapter or two! Just have to establish the "turning point" between the original series and my fanfiction. Again, if anyone has any questions, suggestions, criticisms, etc. please feel free to comment below, send a message here, or send me a message on tumblr under the username leo-probably! I hope you all have a good weekend!

The night settled in before they knew it, the orange-dusted evening sky giving way to beautiful midnight blue. The day had been breezy, as days always seem to be in Konoha, and it showed no signs of stopping well past dusk. 

Sasuke lived in a small studio apartment that was surprisingly close to Naruto’s building, but between missions and training he was rarely there. Usually, he’d stop by to pick up an overnight bag, take a shower, and maybe get some sleep before heading back out. Tonight was no different, he thought, as he walked through the door and took off his shoes. 

After the massacre, Sasuke visited the Uchiha Compound from time to time, to visit his family’s shrines and pick up some new clothes when he outgrew or tore his own, but he no longer felt comfortable there. So, when the Third asked him to move into his own apartment a few days after the massacre, he hadn’t fought the orders. It’d been four years since he’d moved into this apartment and he found himself wondering if after tonight he’d ever see it again. 

‘What’s someone supposed to pack when they’re leaving for good?’ He ponders this for a minute too long, debating whether to take mostly clothes or ninja tools or sentimental items (of which he has very few) before he gets annoyed with himself and starts packing, light enough on apparel that he can take weaponry. As he packs, the world around him feels distanced, as though he’s on another plane of existence, looking on at the scene as an observer rather than a doer. He turns, sweeping the room, looking for anything else he should pack. His eyes land on the picture from their first official day as Team 7 and his world comes crashing back into place. 

His knees give way and he sits on the bed, hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles turn white. He hears his teammates words ringing in his head, sees their faces, sees what he has sacrificed. ‘I almost died for them.’ He sees Itachi’s face in the hotel room, the one who’d come to kidnap Naruto. He sees the Sound Four easily overpower his team. ‘I almost died for them.’ He sees his mother’s face, smiling at him, telling him that he should try to make more friends at the Academy. _“Those days are important, you know! One day you might even find yourself on the same team!”_ At the time he’d smiled and nodded, eager to make her proud. ‘Tch, what a foolish child I was,’ and yet the pit in his stomach remains firmly set.

‘I don’t have to follow you. I don’t have to let revenge leave me empty…’ He flops backwards, spreading out on his mattress, “but I don’t have to give up killing you, either.”

Try as he might, Sasuke wasn’t about to get any sleep. Sighing, he picked himself up and got ready to leave the house, leaving his packed bag at the foot of his bed. As a child, Sasuke would walk through the Uchiha District as late as he was allowed to, making rounds to greet his aunts and uncles, taking time to pet all of the animals that roamed through the compound. Now that he was a ninja he had less time for such luxuries and less patience for the people that recognized his face. ‘I just have to clear my head. By the time I make it back to the apartment I’ll be fine.’ 

His feet take him down a familiar path through the village, one that he often takes when leaving for a mission. When he finds himself nearing the hokage’s office, he wonders what it will be like now that there is a new hokage in power. The Third had been hokage for as long as Sasuke could remember and the thought of his assassin still roaming the village made his stomach bubble.

He’s near the village gate when he spots Sakura walking towards him. She seems worn and weary and she’s still in her daytime outfit. She perks up when she notices Sasuke is walking towards her. “Sasuke-kun...I didn’t expect to run into you so late at night,” her tone of voice makes him think she’s lying,

“...yeah.” 

“What are you doing out and about?” She falls into step next to him, arms interlocking behind her back. 

“I could ask you the same thing,” he pauses, sighing, “I couldn’t sleep,” he says, shoulders going up in a light shrug.

“Ah, that’s true. I had to get some fresh air,” she glances away as she speaks, a worried smile dancing on her lips, “I get too bored when we don’t have a mission in the morning. There’s nothing to do.”

“If you’re bored with nothing to do, you should train.”

“About that...Sasuke-kun, I was thinking, maybe we can ask Kakashi-sensei for some extra training when he gets back from his mission? We really got overpowered earlier...a-and I meant what I said, we’re going to help you.” Her eyes were full of steeled determination that reminded him of all of the time she berated him in the Forest of Death. 

“He might be busy…” 

“Yeah, well, that’s what he always says! But the man lives alone, he’d probably be happy to have the company! Didn’t he train you for the Chunin Exams?”  
  
  
“....hn.”

“A man of a million words, I’ll tell you.” That comment only earned her a small smirk. Sakura took a deep breath, letting it out as the wind blew. “Sasuke-kun...We’re a team, right?” His step falters only slightly before he continues walking, glancing over at her with an eyebrow raised. “You, me, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei...We’re all supposed to trust each other.” She takes his silence as a cue to continue, “if we’re supposed to trust and support one another, then that means you have to let us help you, right?”

  
“The last person I trusted,” his voice hitches, fingers digging into the insides of his pockets, “...I’ve already had my trust betrayed once.”

  
“But, Sasuke-kun--” she reaches out instinctively, and he flinches away, a mirror of the situation just hours ago. 

“…. I know. Thank you, Sakura. I’ll see you later.” Before she can say another word, he’s gone. She smiles despite herself, a weight lifting off of her chest. He didn’t have a backpack and said he’d “see her later.” They were safe...for now. She walks home with a spring in her step.

‘Apparently we did have something to do this morning,’ Sakura thinks, blinking her eyes a few times before rolling out of bed. Her mom stopped in to let her know that the hokage wanted to see her, having sent a messenger no more than five minutes ago. _‘Ooo!! I wonder if you’ll find out about the Chunin Exam results! Keep me posted, love_!’ As optimistic as her mom was, she didn’t have the heart to tell her she’d lost in the primaries. As she got ready, she wondered if this meeting was truly about the exams or if Sasuke had… ‘No,’ she thinks, a hard look in her eye, ‘he said he’d see me later. This can’t be about him.” Still, the thought makes her move a little faster. 

When she arrives at the hokage’s office, she’s briefly surprised to see Tsunade sitting in the hokage’s chair. ‘Of course she is,’ she mental berates herself, ‘she came back to the village to take over, not just to heal Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun.’ Still, it’s strange to see anyone but the Third waiting for their arrival. ‘Sasuke-kun…’ Sakura is one of the first to arrive and is commended for her punctuality, but her mind can’t help but wander. ‘Sasuke is never earlier than me, he’s always the second one to arrive on the bridge. Of course he wouldn’t come to the hokage’s office before me! He probably lives farther away, that’s all!’ 

Shikamaru is the next to arrive with Choji in tow, complaining about the troublesome awakening. “Man, couldn’t whatever this is,” he yawns, tears prickling the corner of his eyes, “have waited another hour or two?” Choji is already munching on a bag of chips, which makes Sakura wonder if he ever eats a regular breakfast. 

Shino, who’d been quietly standing off to the corner when Sakura walked in, perks up slightly when Kiba arrives. “Hey, Shino! How’d you get here so fast?” Akamaru barks at the end of his sentence as if to confirm his confusion. 

  
“That’s because I was already on my morning walk when I’d been told of the meeting. I didn’t need to get dressed or showered before arriving. That’s because--”

“Yeah, yeah, you always go on morning walks to be ‘one with nature’ or whatever. You don’t have to explain the whole thing to me every time, Shino!”   
  
  
“....I see,” Shino readjusts his glasses, settling back into silence. Kiba slouches over, absent-mindedly petting Akamaru and yawning every few minutes.

  
Shikamaru is the first to speak up, “can I ask what this is about, hokage-sama?” 

“You just did, yes. But I can’t disclose that information until everyone I have summoned arrives.” Tsunade has a tough exterior, but it looks like she already has bags under her eyes. Is that an empty sake bottle by the foot of her desk?

Neji, Tenten, and Lee waltz in next. ‘Oh great,’ Sakura’s shoulders slump involuntarily, her gaze hitting the floor, ‘maybe if I don’t look at him, he won’t notice me.’

“Sakura-chan!! You are looking extremely youthful today, my lady!” Lee’s voice, loud and booming, cuts through her, making her already throbbing head vibrate. 

“Lee! Be quiet, it’s way too early in the morning for that kind of stuff. Besides, you’re being a creep!” Tenten is about the only normal one on Team Gai, Sakura decides, as Tenten sends her an apologetic grin. Sakura smiles at her in response, closing her eyes. 

  
“Lady Hokage, may I ask what this is about? Our team has not prepared for any sort of mission. We were interrupted during our morning training.” Neji might be nicer since Naruto beat him during the Chunin Exams, but that isn’t saying much. 

Tsunade sighs and Sakura wonders if this is what being the hokage does to people. “I’ve already informed Shikamaru that I cannot reveal what the topic of my meeting is until everyone arrives. Don’t worry, no one is in trouble,” she smiles, eyes squeezing shut.

Hinata and Ino arrive next, Ino talking about flowers and Hinata listening, her shoulders and arms tucked in front of her, already closed off to the world. When they walk in, Kiba is quick to greet Hinata. “Yo! Hinata, check it out, you’re the last one from Team 8 to arrive for once!!”

  
“That’s because we often have to wait for you when departing for missions, Kiba…” 

“Nobody asked you, Shino!” 

Ino smiles, patting Hinata on the shoulder, “we’ll talk about this more later, ‘kay?” With a wink and Hinata’s reddening face, they walk over to their respective teammates. “Choji, how are you already eating potato chips? Don’t you eat breakfast in the morning!? I mean, really, what are you doing!” Ino lightly smacks him over the head and Shikamaru sighs, waiting for the impending argument.

“I’ll have you know these are high in protein and vitamins! They’re the perfect breakfast snack for people who are on the run! Right, Shikamaru?” If there’s one thing Choji is passionate about, it’s food. Sakura’s never heard of such a chip, but she’s sure it exists if Choji says it does - he’s not one to lie or over exaggerate. Sakura tunes out the conversation as she counts the faces around the room. The only ones they’re waiting for out of the Konoha 11...are Naruto and Sasuke.


	3. 4 am Ramen Chronicles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where could Naruto and Sasuke be!? If only there were a chapter explaining their tardiness... 
> 
> In all seriousness, thank you for reading thus far! I hope you've enjoyed your time here :^). As always, feel free to comment below, message me, or send an ask on tumblr @leo-probably with any suggestions, questions, or criticisms. Thanks again, stay safe! (PS - has it become apparent yet that I don't know where to end chapters? lol)

They wait a few more minutes, an awkward silence blanketing over the room. Besides Team Gai and Shino, none of them were quite ready to be awake. The clock on the wall tics seconds by, each one feeling more and more ominous. ‘I expect this from Naruto, but Sasuke-kun?’ Sakura frowns, running her hand through her hair. “Tenzo,” Tsunade calls out. Moments later, an ANBU member flashes into the room, behind her desk. 

“Yes, Tsunade-sama?”

“Where are the last two brats, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha?”

“I’m not sure, Tsunade-sama. Everyone else has reported back.”

Tsunade sighs, resting her chin in the palm of her hand, fingers tapping along her cheek. “Very well. Thank you, Tenzo.”

“Yes, Tsunade-sama.” He disappears without another word. 

Naruto wasn’t a morning person. He wasn’t even really a mid-afternoon person. So, when Sasuke came by his house at nearly 4 am asking him to spar, he did what any reasonable person would do...He closed the door on Sasuke’s face. When Sasuke knocked yet again, Naruto was seriously considering his teammate’s sanity. “Hey, bastard, some of us aren’t roaring to go at the first crack of dawn. I’m sleeping!! Come back in six hours!” When Sasuke stuck his foot in Naruto’s door...that was his third strike. 

Naruto turns on his heel, ready to march over and give Sasuke the whoopass of a lifetime, but… Why does Sasuke look so tired? He’s standing in Naruto’s doorway, gripping the door’s molding, glaring at the ground. It looks like he hasn’t slept all night. Naruto’s anger bubbles away, his shoulders slumping. “...Fine, just give me a minute to change. You wanna come in?” 

Sasuke looks up, deadpan as ever, “...sure.” 

Naruto pouts, turning around and walking further into the apartment. Sasuke trails behind him, closing the door. “You sure you want to spar this early? I mean, uh, you were just in the hospital yesterday, right?” It occurs to Sasuke that he still hasn’t checked out of the hospital and he wonders if someone will come looking for him. Naruto’s head peaks around the corner, his eyebrow raised, “Sasuke?” 

“....hn.”

Naruto’s eyebrow lowers into an annoyed glare before he rolls his eyes, “can’t believe I was worried about a bastard like you. Losing my precious sleep…” After a few more minutes of drawers opening and closing, paired with Naruto hopping around and cursing when he drops one such drawer on his foot, they’re ready to go. 

“Can we at least stop for Ichiraku’s before we head out? I’m starvinggg,” as though to prove his point, Naruto’s stomach growls. Sasuke walks along with his hands in his pockets, slouched but tense.

“Don’t you eat anything other than ramen?” 

“Mmm… I like soup!” Sasuke glances over at him, eyebrow raised. Naruto scratches his check, a light blush forming. “I mean, it’s just like ramen, isn’t it?” 

“You’re hopeless.”

“And you’re crazy! Coming to my house at 4 am, wanting to train without even eating first,” he pouts, muttering to himself about the importance of his ramen fuel. Sasuke never verbally consents, but they wind up in front of Ichiraku Ramen’s stand. “Closed!!!!!” Naruto drops to his knees, hands rocketing towards the sky, “no!!! How could it be!” 

“Be quiet, Naruto, it’s probably just too early in the morning,” Sasuke snaps, trying his best to keep quiet himself. 

“What’re we gonna do now, huh!?”

Sasuke might not be the best cook, but he’d learned a thing or two from helping around the house before his mother...Before living on his own. The problem-- rather, _Naruto’s_ problem, was that he’d never learned how to make ramen. “What do you mean you don’t know how?”

“I said what I said, Naruto! I’ve never tried to cook it before.” His mother had never made ramen. _‘Sasuke, can you promise me something?’_ He had smiled, nodding without any real consideration. _‘Good! When you become a ninja, you have to try to eat healthily. There will be times when I won’t be able to cook lunch for you!! Don’t eat ramen and chips all the time, okay?’_

“Helloooo? Earth to Sasuke!!” Naruto’s voice snaps him out of the memory. He’s waving his hand in front of Sasuke’s face, eyebrows drawn in annoyance. “Hey, if you’re gonna fall asleep on me, I’m going home.”

Sasuke blinks at him with a bored expression, “just pick something else to eat.”

Naruto pouts, arms crossing in derision “‘I’m the great Sasuke Uchiha. I’m so good at everything I do that no one else can possibly be better!’ Have you considered maybe _I_ know how to make ramen?” 

“Do you?” 

Naruto’s shoulders hunch, his face pinched in concentration. “Mmmm...no” Sasuke’s eye twitches. “But! I have the next best thing!! Hold on. I’ll be right back!” As Naruto runs through the door of Sasuke’s apartment, Sasuke briefly wonders if he’ll be able to find his way back.

In all honesty, Sasuke isn’t sure why he went to Naruto’s apartment in the first place. After he talked to Sakura, he had spent most of the night wandering the Uchiha Compound. ‘This isn’t helping anyone,’ he’d thought to himself as he walked down the streets, worn with age. No one was supposed to loiter in the compound but that hadn’t stopped delinquent kids from ransacking the houses and breaking windows. He visited the family shrine and considered talking to them. ‘As though they’ll answer me,’ he scoffed at himself, ‘they’re dead, they can’t offer some kind of divine advice.’ With that thought, he pushed himself off of the ground, dusting down his pants before setting off towards the scroll room. 

The one room in the entire Uchiha Compound that Sasuke knew would remain in-tact was the scroll room, for it was hidden beneath the tatami floor. Even if someone had found the area, there’d be nothing of interest - all of the scrolls had long been encrypted. This was how his visits always went - wander the compound, find the will to go inside one of the houses to look for some embroidered Uchiha patches or clothing that would fit him, visit the shrine, visit the scroll room, go home. It never brought him the catharsis he sought after, but he supposed that he deserved his suffering in some twisted way. 

When he’d torn himself away from the scroll room, it was already nearing dawn and it didn’t feel appropriate to go home and sleep. Maybe that’s why he found himself on Naruto’s doorstep. He hadn’t realized it was only four o’clock in the morning. Naruto had a right to be angry, if someone had showed up on his doorstep that early in the morning, they’d be lucky to get away unscathed. 

Whether Sasuke dozed off or spent too much time thinking about the night before he didn’t know, but all of a sudden a rambling blonde burst through his apartment door once more. “Didn’t you hear me knocking, bastard? Bet you really did go to sleep!!” He’s carrying a bag of supplies in one hand and a pillow in the other. ‘Maybe he plans on smothering me,’ Sasuke thinks to himself, a bemused smirk making its way to his face. “What’s that look for?” Naruto says, squinting at him. “You didn’t plant something, did you!?” His hands go up in an attempted battle stance, but with the bag and pillow he looks less threatening than an Academy kid. 

Sasuke sighs, lacing his fingers together before resting his chin on his hands. “Nothing, idiot. What’s in the bag?” 

Though he remains squinting and frowning, Naruto lowers his stance. “I told you I had the next best thing for our ramen needs!!” He flips the bag over onto the table near Sasuke, plopping down next to him, arms wrapping around his pillow. “Look, all we need is water! No cooking skills necessary, ‘ttebayo!” 

Sasuke blinks at the supplies laid out before him. Four packs of cup ramen and “…a bottle of medicine?” He looks at Naruto, one eyebrow raised. 

Naruto scratches his cheek, with a wide grin and apologetic eyebrows. “Well…You know! You look super tired; I mean seriously you’ve got dark circles! So, uh, I figured… I have medicine for when I can’t sleep that I don’t use anymore. Maybe...maybe it’ll help you!” He lets out a chuckle, still picking at his face. In truth, Naruto had gone to Old Man Teysu’s pharmacy and asked for his help on the way back to Sasuke’s apartment. It wasn’t for Sasuke’s benefit!! Naruto just didn’t want to be woken up at four am the next day! That’s all!

Sasuke stares at him for a minute, his eyes widening and his mouth opening just slightly. By the time Naruto notices, he’s already worked through the shock, returning to his usual deadpan. “You didn’t have to, Naruto.” 

“Hey!!” Naruto’s finger shoots up into a point, “usually, when someone brings you something you should--”

“Thank you.”

Naruto blinks owlishly, mouth gaping open. He nearly forgets to lower his hand. “Uh...um…” he recovers, grinning ear to ear, eyes squeezing shut. “No problem, bastard! Now let’s eat, I’m starving!!”   
  
When all is said and done, Naruto has eaten three out of the four cup ramens. Sasuke ate the last one slowly, letting Naruto’s incessant chattering drown out his thoughts. Before he knows it, Naruto is scratching at the back of his neck. “Um… I know this is weird, so-- so don’t start with me! Alright!?” He glares at Sasuke, waiting for a challenge. “But… is it okay if I sleep here? You can take one of those pills and I’ll make sure you don’t have any side effects or anything. I know you wanted to train, but Iruka-sensei always says the best training sessions only come after you’re well rested and well fed!” 

Yet again Sasuke is caught off-guard. He’d been wondering why Naruto brought a pillow with him, but… this? The more he thinks about it, the more he really could use the sleep, “...okay.” 

“Hear me out-- wait, really? You sure?” Naruto had been gearing up for an entire monologue, complete with diagrams if need be. 

“Yes, idiot, I’m sure... I don’t have a futon.” 

“Oh! Well, I could set up the couch, if that’s okay? Or--”

“You can sleep in my bed.” The outburst surprises Sasuke even as the suggestion leaves his lips. “It’s too much work to try to set up the couch for sleeping. It’s easier for you to just sleep in the bed.” 

Naruto, who’d nailed the ‘gaping fish’ look once again, shakes his head as though he’d gotten water in his ears. “Yeah, okay! Sleep time, here I come!!” He all but bounds towards the bed, launching himself under the blankets. Sasuke takes one of the pills with a glass of water before gathering up some clothes to change into. He walks into the bathroom and realizes just how much of a mess he is - hair tousled, clothes dirty - Naruto was right, there are dark circles lining his eyes. He sighs, gets changed, and climbs into bed, back-to-back with Naruto. He wonders if he should say ‘goodnight,’ but the thought is derailed when he hears Naruto’s soft snores. Whether it’s the pill or the exhaustion taking over, he doesn’t know, but within half an hour he’s out like a light.


	4. The Results are In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I technically had this chapter done hours ago, but there's one spot in particular that kept tripping me up. As you read through, you might be able to figure out which part it was, lol. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for your continued interest in this fic! I hope you're enjoying your time here. As usual, if you have any questions, comments, criticisms, etc. feel free to comment them below, send me a message here, or send an ask on tumblr under the username leo-probably. On with the chapter!!

When three of the ANBU on Tsunade’s staff were tasked with retrieving all of the Konoha rookies and Team Gai, they couldn’t refuse such an easy assignment. When one of them stopped by the hospital to retrieve Sasuke only to find out he had disappeared from his room the day before, they knew it’d be trouble.

“Uchiha Sasuke… Ah yes, it says here he’s in Room 204. Would you like me to bring you to see him?” The nurse hums a tune as she walks, fingers drumming the sides of her clipboard. She knocks on Room 204’s door, hard enough for a conscious person to hear, but receives no response. She holds her finger up to her mouth before clicking open the door and slipping inside. “Strange…” she says, as the empty room comes into full view, “he never checked out.” 

Naruto was the next name on their list, so Keyu decided to head over before reporting back to the hokage. Yet again, there was no answer. “Seriously? It’s 7 am, where are these kids?” She knocks again, fist banging against the door. Nothing. She sighs, leaning her ear against the door, trying to sense for chakra or movement on the other side. With no such luck, she heads back to the hokage’s office. If either of them are at the training grounds or somewhere around town, someone else will spot them. 

If there was one thing Tsunade was running out of in her middle age, it was patience. Tired of twiddling her fingers, she slams her fist onto the desk. “Fine, if neither Naruto Uzumaki nor Sasuke Uchiha will be showing up, we’ll have to start without them.” The genin before her stand at attention. 

Before she can officially begin, another ANBU member, this one with curly dark-brown locks, appears behind her desk. “What is it, Keyu?” 

“Lady Hokage, there was no sign of Uchiha at the hospital, nor Uzumaki at his apartment. Uchiha had not checked out upon my arrival.” 

Tsunade sighs, the breath rolling out like a dragon ready to erupt. “I see. Alert a sensory-type, make sure they are still within village parameters. If they are, leave them be. Their teammate can fill them in later.” 

“Yes, Lady Hokage.” Keyu disappears in a flash.

“If there will be no further interruptions,” she pauses, her eyes daring someone to speak, “then we will get started. I’ve called you all here to discuss the Chunin Exams, as I’m sure you’ve deducted by now. This year was certainly a peculiar one, considering the attempted invasion of the Sand and Sound and, of course, the early demise of our very own Third Hokage.” The room shares a moment of heavy silence. 

“I’ve taken into consideration the scores from the Lords, as is custom, as well as the word of your jonin instructors - everything, from the primary rounds up until the end of the invasion, has been analyzed.” She pauses, collecting her thoughts.

“I grew up in this village, but I haven’t stepped foot into it in twelve years. I know nothing but names. To be quite frank, the fact that you’re all alive right now tells me that each of you have the know-how to uphold yourselves in battle. But chunin must be leaders. They must see a situation and react to it while keeping their peers safe. How many of you could say you did such a thing?”

“When I call your name, step forward. Aburame, Shino; Uchiha, Sasuke; Uzumaki, Naruto; Nara, Shikamaru. The four of you will be promoted to chunin.” Sakura's heart drops. 'The last genin on team seven...' She tries not to feel too jealous. 

“The rest of you - Akimichi, Choji; Haruno, Sakura; Hyuga, Hinata; Hyuga, Neji; Inuzuka, Kiba; Tenten; Rock Lee; Yamanaka, Ino...I expect you to learn from this exam and your missions here after. Promotion is for record books, but the skill to lead others, to protect your comrades in battle, and to have the technical ability to get your team home safely is an important quality for any shinobi to strive for. For those promoted, please pick up your flak jackets before your next mission assignment.” 

“Aw man!! Shino, both you _and_ that lazy Shikamaru got promoted before me? No fair!” Akamaru barks his agreement.  
  
  
“No, I believe this was a concise judgement. That’s because I won my primary round, unlike you.” Shino pauses, adjusting his sunglasses. “Additionally, I not only subdued my opponent during the final round, but planted a bug on Sasuke’s clothes which allowed me to pursue the invaders, while you--”  
  
  
“Okay, okay!! I get it, jeez!”  
  
  
Hinata swallows, “n-next time, Kiba-kun…” 

“For sure! We can’t let them show us up! Right, Akamaru!?” With a final ‘woof’ of agreement, Kiba waltz out of the office. Shino adjusts his glasses once more and with a quiet, “good day,” he leaves. Hinata hurriedly bows, waving goodbye to Ino before rushing after her teammates. 

“I know you’ve got some genius in that head of yours, Shikamaru, but to be promoted? You sure you can handle that?” If Ino is jealous of him she doesn’t show it, patting him on the back with a smile as he struggles out a “troublesome.” 

“Does this mean we still get that barbeque that Asuma-sensei promised? I mean, not all of us got chunin, but--” They walk away as a group, voices trailing down the hallway. 

Tsunade, who had been swirling a glass of sake as the group left, suddenly perks up. “Lee - before you go, I’d like to stop by the hospital later today to discuss your surgery, if that’s alright with you.”  
  
  
“Of course, hokage-sama.” His face serious, Lee does his best to bow with his crutches, though the movement is awkward and stinted.  
  
  
“You better be there - if I catch word of you ‘training’ again...” She’s got an evil eye that makes Sakura gulp even when the threat isn’t directed towards her.  
  
  
“Y-yes ma’am,” as Team Gai walks out of the room, Sakura could swear she hears him say, “Neji! You weren’t supposed to tell her!”  
  
  
“Um, Lady Tsunade?” Sakura is the last one in the room, wringing her hands together. Tsunade, having already gone back to paperwork, looks up at her expectantly.  
  
  
“Yes?”  
  
  
“Do you know when Kakashi-sensei is due back?”  
  
  
She shuffles some paperwork across her desk, reading a few lines. “He should be--”  
  
  
“Yo!” Kakashi walks through the door, hand raised in a small wave. ‘Speak of the devil.’  
  
  
“Kakashi, just in time. Sakura was asking about your arrival.” Tsunade pours herself another glass, gesturing between the two of them with the bottle in hand, sake sloshing around the rim. 

“Maa, miss me already, Sakura?” He looks her way, sending her his famous one-eyed smile. She smiles back at him, wondering if he already knows about the exam results. “Well, if I can just give you my mission report, I can be on my way...”  
  
  
“Yes, yes, just lay it on top of that pile there. No complications?” She really is swimming in paperwork. There were three tall piles of papers on both corners of her desk with a little work station in between. Some of them had a seal stamped over the center. ‘So much work for one person, no wonder she drinks!’  
  
  
“None.”  
  
  
“Good! You’re dismissed, Kakashi.” 

He bows briefly, turning on his heel. “After you, Sakura.”  
  
  
“Sakura, one last thing! If you don’t mind, whenever you see Naruto and Sasuke, kindly inform them of their results.” Naruto and Sasuke… She was going to kill them when she found them, wherever they were. Missing the results of the Chunin Exams, especially when Sasuke got promoted!? Still… Even the ANBU lady from before couldn’t find them…  
  
  
They exit the room together, walking down the hallway in silence for a moment before Sakura can collect her thoughts. Kakashi has already pulled out his Makeout Paradise book by the time she clears her throat. “Kakashi-sensei, why does the hokage handle all of that work on their own?”  
  
  
He peers over his book at her, eye gleaming mischievously. “That’s not what you wanted to talk to me about, is it?”  
  
  
“No,” she waves her hands, visibly clearing the thought away, “of course not, sensei. I… I wanted to ask you about Sasuke-kun. About his family.” Kakashi gives her a weary look, eyebrow furrowing. 

“Now, Sakura. Is this really something you want to discuss with me?”

  
Her eyes widen as a small frown makes its way to her face. “How do you mean?”

“Sasuke’s business is just that - if he hasn’t told you anything, it’s not my place to butt in.”

“But, sensei!” She turns, stopping in her tracks, right fist clenched over her heart, left arm sweeping out behind her. “He almost left the village! He… In the forest, Sasuke-kun said he was an ‘avenger.’ What does that even mean!?” 

Kakashi sighs, closing his book and tapping it lightly against the top of Sakura’s head. “I know you care for him, Sakura. We all do. But he hasn’t left yet, right?” She sniffles, eyes downcast. “If I tell you something that will change your view of him without his knowledge, it will only further the gap in trust between the four of us. The best thing we can do right now is be there for each other.” She nods, eyes still planted to the floor. “Don’t worry, Sakura, I meant what I said - everything will be okay.” 

“R-right. Thank you, Kakashi-sensei.” 

“Of course!” He beams, or at least she thinks he does, eye squeezing shut. “Now, I’ve got a date with my bed. Do tell Sasuke and Naruto I said congratulations on becoming chunin.”  
  
  
“Wait, how did you know about--” It was too late, he was already gone. 

She’s been awake for too long to feasibly go back to bed, so she takes to wandering the village shops. She decides to get red bean paste dumplings for breakfast, sitting down at a nearby bench. ‘There’s nothing new in the shops this week’ she sighs to herself, earning her an odd look from a nearby shop owner. She smiles and waves at them, letting out an apologetic chuckle. ‘...I wonder if Naruto or Sasuke will be back yet. Maybe I could visit them!’ She smiles to herself, eyes lighting up. ‘That’s exactly what I’ll do! Yeah!’ 

She has a little bit of trouble finding Naruto’s apartment, having to backtrack once or twice. She’s been there before, of course, but usually she’d start off at the village gates. ‘That Naruto, always sleeping through mission meeting times. I swear...’ By the time she finds her way to his house, it’s nearly 9 am. She knocks hard, the door shaking in tandem. ‘Still no answer?’ She tries to peek through his windows, mouth hanging open in a tiny ‘o.’  
  
“No luck, huh?” She leans back, sighing as she crosses her arms. “Guess I can stop by Sasuke-kun’s house, but…” She thinks for a moment, foot tapping against the metal walkway. “I wonder if he still lives nearby…” It wasn’t her proudest moment, but she had followed him home from the Academy one day. She’d fully planned on talking to him, but every time she tried the words caught in her throat. He wound up making it all the way back to his apartment without her saying a single word. She never tried again. 

Another 15 minutes and she’s found her way to what she believes to be Sasuke’s apartment. There’s no name on the mailbox near the door, so she hopes the worst-case scenario is no one living there at all. She lightly knocks on the door. No answer. ‘Again!? Jeez!” She sighs, knocking on the door once more, louder than before. There’s a thump on the other side of the door, followed by some footsteps. Her breath hitches in her throat. ‘What if whoever answers is a creep! What if--’ It’s too late, the door opens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the Chunin Exam results tripped me up. Yes, I wanted a few more of them to pass. Y e s I thought about it for way too long lol. Anyway, stay safe! Talk to you in chapter five!


	5. We'll Get There

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who was on the other side of the door!? We'll soon find out! 
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy your time here! Feel free to reach out below, in a message, or as an ask through tumblr under the username leo-probably. With that being said, let's get on with the chapter!!

“Sakura-chan?” It’s Naruto, squinting at her through the cracked open doorway. He’s clearly just woken up. ‘A creep, huh?’ Her eyebrow twitches, all of the nerves she’d built up instantly replaced with annoyance. 

“Naruto!? What… Isn’t this Sasuke-kun’s apartment?” 

He blinks at her, mouth pressed into a thin line. “....Oh!! Yeah!!” He smiles at her, a small ‘hehe’ escaping his lips. “Oh! But, uh… Let’s talk inside, okay? Quietly!” He waves her in and she follows, slipping off her shoes. ‘Curiosity kills the cat. If Sasuke-kun comes home and finds us here, we’re dead!’ Her thoughts are derailed as she looks around the room, eyes landing on a sleeping figure. It’s Sasuke, curled up on his side, fist clenched in a pillow. His face looks more peaceful than it did when she’d visited him in the hospital. She lets out a breath, her shoulders softening. ‘Still here…’

“Ne, ne, Sakura-chan, what’s going on? Did we miss a mission meeting or something?” Naruto’s trying his best to whisper but it still comes out too loud. Luckily, Sasuke doesn’t seem to hear him. 

“Of course not,” she whispers back to him, hand cupped over her mouth, “didn’t someone come to get you? Lady Tsunade sent for all of the genin earlier this morning.” 

Naruto pauses, eyes scrunching up, a hand cupping his chin. “Sasuke stopped by really early in the morning, but I don’t think anyone else did. Why? What did the old hag want?”

“Naruto!!” Sakura takes a moment to breathe, realizing Sasuke is still trying to sleep mere feet away from them. “Respect your elders, would you? I swear…” she sighs, wrapping her arms around her torso, each hand cupping the opposite elbow. “She wanted to tell everyone about the Chunin Exam results, but I should wait to tell you until Sasuke-kun wakes up. It’s only fair.” Maybe she can work through the pit in her stomach before then. 

“Whaaaaat?” He pouts, eyebrows drawing in. “No fair, Sakura-chan. I wanna know!!” Her eyebrow twitches and she has to resist the urge to swat him on the arm. 

“Too bad. Besides," she points her finger towards the air, "patience is the virtue of wisdom, right?” 

“....huh?” 

“Forget it.” She moves out of the doorway, sitting down at a table that seemed to have… empty ramen cups stacked on it? ‘I never would have taken Sasuke-kun for a ramen fan…’

“Oh! Sakura-chan, were you hungry? I’m sorry, I only brought over four cups this morning. I can go get more, but I don’t have any more of that flavor right now.” He beams at her, sitting down across the table.  
  
  
“No, that’s okay, thank you. I just ate a little while ago.” She spots the bottle of medicine sitting off to the side and picks it up instinctively, turning it around in her hands. “Sleeping pills?”  
  
  
“Yeah!! Sasuke woke me up super early this morning and was all ‘I want to spar,’ but he had huge bags under his eyes! I mean, seriously, he looked like Gaara’s twin! We wanted to get ramen, but Ichiraku’s was closed - who knew they wouldn’t be open at 4 am?”

“I think a lot of people would realize that, Naruto…” 

“...Oh. Well, anyway!! I was going to cook ramen myself but…” he scratches at his cheek, a light blush forming, “...Sasuke wouldn’t let me. So! I went home to get some food, and I picked up Sasuke some medicine so he wouldn’t try to wake me up again tomorrow! I need my sleep, ya know? ‘Else I won’t get to train as much as I should! Besides, we can’t have him dragging us down, right, Sakura-chan?” 

She sighs, reading over the bottle’s directions and ingredients. ‘Sasuke-kun is having trouble sleeping? Why did he want to fight Naruto so early in the morning?’ She looks up, watching his sleeping form. ‘What’s going on with you, Sasuke-kun?’

“Thank you, Naruto.” 

“Eh!? What for, Sakura-chan?” 

“For taking care of him.” 

He squints at her, blushing as he scratches the back of his neck. “...No problem, ‘ttebayo…”

They sit in silence for a few minutes, Sakura fiddling with the bottle of pills as Naruto dozes off, head resting against the table, nestled in between his folded arms. “Hey, Naruto?” 

“Hm?” his head pops up, eyes opening.

“What do you think about… What if we asked Kakashi-sensei for more training?” Her eyes bounce between Naruto’s face and the table, medicine bottle rolling in her hand. 

  
“But I can protect you, Sakura-chan!! Besides, you’re plenty strong already!” He grins at her, holding two thumbs up.   
  
  
“Naruto, that’s not…” she sighs, rubbing her temple with her free hand. “We got easily overpowered with those Sound ninjas yesterday. We have to be able to protect ourselves. What if they come back again?” 

Naruto’s smile disappears, replaced with his rare ‘serious face.’ His eyebrows draw in and he looks away, unable to meet her eyes. “....You’re right. We have to get stronger.” 

“Exactly! So? What do you say!?” 

“I say we should do it.” The two of them jump, whipping around to stare at Sasuke as he sits up in bed. His hair’s a mess, plastered to the side of his face, and he’s still got bags under his eyes but… Sakura can’t help but smile at him.

“....Yeah! Exactly, bastard!! That’s what we’ve got to do!!” Naruto shouts, completely ignoring the fact that Sasuke _just_ woke up, his arms raised, hands clenched into fists. 

Sakura smiles, her grip on the pill bottle tightening. “Yeah.” 

“So, Sakura-chan,” Naruto wheels on her, eyes on fire, ”who got chunin!? Tell us, tell us!”   
  
  
“Chunin?” Sasuke swings his legs over the bed, padding his way over to the table. He sits down next to Sakura, rubbing his eyes. 

“Lady Tsunade called everyone to her office for a meeting this morning, but no one could find the two of you. She wanted to let us know what the results of the Chunin Exams were.” Sasuke’s eyebrow goes up; Sakura’s not sure if it’s over the fact that no one could find them or curiosity of who achieved chunin. 

“And!? And, and, and!!?” Naruto was practically vibrating.

“Well…. Shino and Shikamaru were both promoted, and…” She looks away, hands wringing before her, pill bottle forgotten on the table.

“And?” Sasuke speaks up, a bored look on his face. His eyes seem… determined? Angry? It’s always so hard to tell what he’s thinking, especially right after he’s woken up.

She bits her lip, fingers digging into her skin “...so did the two of you.”  
  
  
“‘The two of us’ what!?” Naruto says, not quite catching her meaning. 

“The two of you were promoted to chunin.”   
  
  
“What!? Really!!!??” Naruto rockets out of his chair, jumping up and down. “Hahaha, you’ve gotta be joking! Right?” Sasuke’s eyes widen for a split second. “What about you?” 

Sakura sighs, hands still wringing. “She didn’t make it past the primary, Naruto.”  
  
  
“Huh?”  
  
  
“She didn’t get to the final rounds, her and Ino tied. She couldn’t be promoted.” 

“Whaaaat? No way! She’s the smartest one on the team! Can’t you tell them to reconsider, Sakura-chan?”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, Naruto…” She feels the tears building up against her will. ‘No, you promised yourself you wouldn’t cry, Sakura. Stop it.’

“Then...then… When’s the next chunin exam? We’ll all just have to work super hard and make sure you beat the primary match next time!”

She sighs. “Normally, they run Chunin Examinations every six months, but...” 

Naruto sits back down, leaning forward. “‘But’ what?”

“With everything going on, Konoha is in no place to participate in the next exam.” Sasuke says, chin resting on his interlocked fingers. “It’d be a miracle if they’re caught up by then.”

“Well, either way!! We’ll get you there, right Sasuke?”   
  
  
Sakura sends Naruto a weak smile, turning her head to look at Sasuke. Sasuke stares at her for a moment before a small smile works its way to his lips. “We’ll get you there.” 

She can’t help but giggle. “We’ll get there. Yeah.”


	6. The Morning of a Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really just want these kids to get the love they deserve, you know? 
> 
> Anyway! I hope you're enjoying your time here and as always feel free to leave any concerns/criticisms/etc. below, in a message, or as an ask @leo-probably on tumblr. Without further ado, let's get into the chapter!

Two days after the Chunin Exam results are announced, Team 7 meets at the bridge for their next mission assignment. Sakura, as always, is the first one there. She’s never told anyone, but she loves the fresh morning air. The bridge is never very busy, but there’s an even lower chance of running into someone at this hour. The breeze rustles her hair, carrying the scent of trees and river water with it. 

When Sasuke arrives, the two of them usually sit in a comfortable silence together. Over the course of their missions, Sakura has learned not to try to talk to him right after he’s gotten up. Not that he yells, per say… It’s almost as though she’d rather him yell, honestly. Instead, she receives what her and Naruto call ‘The Look.’ It gives her chills just thinking about it. Today, however, she’s particularly excited. ‘I’ll be the first one to see Sasuke-kun in his chunin jacket!! I wonder what cool combination he’ll come up with…’ 

Naruto, on the other hand, she half expected to show up with his regular jacket, completely forgetting about the flak requirement. ‘Jeez, how that kid got chunin before me I’ll never know.’ But she _did_ know. ‘ _I didn’t save you, Naruto did. He beat Gaara at his own game_.’ Naruto… he’s more serious than he appears. If there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s protecting those he cares about. ‘Not only that, but he _did_ try to save Sasuke-kun and I from that creep Orochimaru in the Forest of Death…’ She hates to admit it, but Naruto really did deserve the promotion. Besides, what does she do? Scream and cry and fail to protect her teammates, relying on others to save the day. ‘That changes here and now. I refuse to be in their shadows any longer!’ 

Sasuke wakes up early the morning of the mission. He’d considered taking one of Naruto’s sleeping pills the night before but it felt like cheating. ‘Pathetic,’ he’d thought to himself, ‘needing some kind of aid to get a night’s rest. I’ll be fine.’ He’d laid in bed until nearly 3 am before falling into a fitful sleep, disrupted by nightmares he could never remember. Now, he’s lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, tiredness seeping into his bones. ‘Get over yourself, Sasuke.’ He gets up too fast, a wave of nausea rolling down his body. Scowling, he walks into the bathroom, preparing himself for the day. ‘My first day as chunin…’ He recalls Itachi being in the ANBU by his age and he’s scowling once more.

He sits at his kitchen table, slicing up a tomato he’d bought at the market the day before, wearing his new flak vest. It feels...wrong. When he’d looked in the mirror after putting it on, he’d seen his father staring back at him. The skin around his curse seal itches. By the time he eats his breakfast, consisting of leftover rice balls and tomato slices, it’s time to head out. Every morning he thinks to himself that he should leave later, knowing Kakashi and Naruto will be tardy, and yet every morning he walks out of the door at the same time. What’s the point of staying in his quiet apartment? Besides, Sakura was never too loud. It allowed him time to prepare for the eventual arrival of that loud-mouth Naruto. 

By the time Sasuke arrives at the bridge, Sakura has hyped herself up beyond imagination. ‘I’ll be the one to save Naruto and Sasuke-kun next time! Hell, I’ll even save Kakashi-sensei! That’s right, _I’ll_ be the one to watch out for. Yeah, yeah!!’ She’s grinning to herself, eyebrows drawn in determination. That might be why she doesn’t realize Sasuke’s arrived until he settles into his spot five feet away from her, leaning against the bridge’s railing. “Oh! Hi, Sasu--” Her mouth drops open, making her grin of determination look more like one of overenthusiam. She feels a pop-up dialogue appear in her head with a countdown to receiving The Look and quickly recalibrates, shaking her head. Smiling more gently than before, she says “good morning, Sasuke-kun.” 

“...Morning.” He’s wearing his new flak jacket, dark gray rather than the standard green. He’s also got a royal blue t-shirt on underneath, the Uchiha symbol sewn onto the left-hand sleeve. ‘I wonder if it’s the same shirt he normally wears, only he’s cut off the collar!’ The thought makes her smile. His arm and leg bands are the same as the ones he wore during the Chunin Exam finals, but he’s changed into black knee-length capris. ‘He looks so... grown up.’

Naruto’s mornings weren’t spent preparing for the day so much as they were spent making up for lost time. No matter how early he went to sleep the night before, he always winds up waking up late. ‘Mannn, I could have sworn I set my alarm today!’ He thought he set his alarm for the last mission, too. Maybe he should look into getting a new alarm clock… ‘No time to think about that right now!! Where is my tooth brush!?’ He’s scrambling out the door before he knows it, jacket in hand. 

“Sakura-chan!!! Sasuke!!!” Naruto shouts from halfway down the bridge, bolting along the path with his flak jacket in hand. He skids to a stop, grinning ear to ear. “Look, Sakura-chan! I’ve got my jacket!!!” Not that he has it _on_ , but she supposes it’s better than the scenario she’d imagined. He’s wearing a simple orange t-shirt, which pairs surprisingly well with the standard-issue green flak jacket. He’s got a few brown bracelets on either wrist, but Sakura is too far away to be able to see what they’re for. “Heh heh,, chunin, chunin~” He hums as he puts on the jacket, zipping it up. 

Kakashi spends his morning the same way he’s spent every morning for the past fifteen years. He wakes up much too early, gets ready, and heads out to eat breakfast at the Memorial Stone. “Rin, Obito…” His hand brushes the smooth stone, fingers tracing the locations of names he’s long since memorized. “Today, my little genin are taking on their first mission as a mostly chunin squad.” He pauses as though he is waiting for their answers. “Sasuke is so similar to how I used to be, so sure of himself and his morals. He’s got the same Uchiha pride as you always did, Obito.” He chuckles, moving to sit down next to the stone. “Naruto is more like you, though. So brash and loud. You’d have gotten along. Rin would have liked Sakura, too. Maybe if you were around, you could have given them some tips on being chunin.” His smile turns sad, weighed down with what could have been. “I hope you’ve forgiven me….” 

He sits for a few more minutes in silence, lost in thought. When a nearby bird spooks, flying off and breaking his concentration, he decides it’s time to get going. Next came the newest part of Kakashi’s morning regimen - getting bullied by a bunch of twelve-year olds. 

“Sensei! You’re late!” Naruto and Sakura’s voices pierce through his newest excuse like a hot knife. ‘Talk about a tough crowd.’ It’s a surreal moment when he first sees Naruto and Sasuke standing there in flak jackets, a bubble of pride mixed with concern builds in his chest.

“Maa, look how grown up you kids look today! Congratulations, Naruto, Sasuke.” 

Naruto grins at him, bouncing on the ball of his feet. “Thanks, sensei!!” Sasuke nods, and Kakashi supposes that’ll have to be enough. 

“Now, getting to the main issue--”

Sakura clears her throat, a nervous smile playing on her lips. “Um, Kakashi-sensei? Before we start, I-- _we_ have a proposition.”

“Yes, Sakura?” 

“We were wondering if you’d be available to do some extra training hours…” She trails off, not sure how to plead her case.  
  
  
“Yeah! So we can kick those Sound guys’ asses!!” Naruto fist pumps, grin wide. 

Kakashi glances towards Sasuke. He’s gone rigid, glaring at the ground. Kakashi sighs. “I’ll see what I can do, alright? But first we have to get through this mission.”   
  
  
Naruto and Sakura both grin, saying “yes, sensei!” in tandem. ‘Just you wait, Naruto, Sasuke-kun...I’ll catch up to you yet!’ 

“Our mission will be to escort the Fire Daimyo’s granddaughter, Ami, back to the capital.”   
  
  
Sakura’s eyes shine with curiosity. “Granddaughter? How old is she?”  
  
  
“She’s around 8 years old, from what I’ve heard.”   
  
  
“Eight!? Mannn, I thought chunin were supposed to get higher-stakes missions. We’re still just on babysitting duty?” Naruto crosses his arms, pouting.   
  
  
“Naruto, think about the mission at hand. The Fire Daimyo is the most influential person in the Land of Fire. Our job is to transport his granddaughter safely. If we fail such a mission, it would mean the loss of many shinobi jobs in our village due to defunding and, quite frankly, could cost us our lives.”   
  
  
Naruto gulps, squeaking out an “oh, okay…” before Kakashi continues.   
  
  
“It shouldn’t be too high-stakes, provided that we keep a low profile. There’s nothing dangerous about this girl, nor is there any known bounty on her heard. However…” he pauses for dramatic effect, the three of them leaning in, “If anyone finds out that we happen to be transporting the rich granddaughter of the daimyo, criminals and delinquents from around the land will be crawling out of the woodworks. So, keep on your toes and keep quiet about this, okay?”  
  
  
They all nod before Sakura speaks up once more. “Why is Miss Ami here in the first place?”   
  
  
“I’m not sure. It could’ve been to visit family that lives nearby or to attend a certain class - there are many proficiencies that the Daimyo’s children and grandchildren must learn. Perhaps we can ask her when we meet up.” Sakura nods, a small smile forming. “The capital is a few days away at a walking pace, so pack lightly and meet me at the gate within the hour. Dismissed!” Everyone starts to walk away, turning to go to their respective homes. “Sasuke, a word?” His shoulders tense up but he complies, turning back around and waiting as the bridge empties. When Kakashi and Sasuke are alone, Kakashi finally continues. “...Sound ninja?”

“It’s nothing.” 

Kakashi’s eye narrows, his voice toughening. “You do realize that if you leave this village without prior consent, you will be pursued, right?” 

Sasuke’s shoulders slump, eyes downcast. “...I do.” 

Kakashi studies him for a second, taking in his tired eyes and pale complexion, before sighing. “So....Extra training, huh? Was that Naruto’s idea?”

“Sakura’s, actually.”  
  
  
Kakashi nods. “She’s a worrier, isn’t she?” 

Sasuke finally looks up, but he can’t read his teacher’s expression. He looks away, towards the river below. “...They both are.”

“Have you told them anything about that night?” 

Sasuke looks over, eyes darkening. “It’s my burden to bear, not theirs,” he all but hisses out. 

Kakashi lets out a long, heaving sigh. “Sit down with me, will you?”


	7. For the Ones We've Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what the original Naruto needed more of? Kakashi-Team 7 moments. You know what we're getting? A Kakashi-Sasuke moment. This is as much for me as it is for you lol. 
> 
> In all seriousness, thanks for your continued interest in this fic!! I'm honestly floored that so many people have read it, let alone left kudos and commented!! I hope you're still enjoying your time here and as always you can comment below, message me, or send an ask on tumblr @leo-probably with any criticisms/suggestions/tips/etc.! Thank you again for reading. Now, on with the chapter!!

Sasuke scowls, hands clenching in his pockets. “Is this going to be another one of your lectures?”

‘How can it be so early in the morning and yet such a tiring day…’ Kakashi smiles, his eyebrow furrowing apologetically. “Not necessarily, I think you’ve had enough of those lately.” Sasuke eyes him, one eyebrow quirked, before finally shrugging. Kakashi chuckles, sitting down on the edge of the bridge, legs in between the bars. “Come on, then, sit down.” He pats the spot to his left and before long Sasuke sighs, sitting down next to him. 

They sit in a comfortable silence for a minute, legs dangling in the morning breeze, a light mist kicking up against their shoes. Sasuke’s got his hands in his lap as he watches the flowing water below. Kakashi leans back, hands balancing behind him as he watches the clouds. “I had an Uchiha on my genin team.” Whatever Sasuke had expected Kakashi to say, it wasn’t that. He looks over, eyes full of curiosity, eyebrow quirked. “His name was Obito. He wasn’t… like you or I. He was a bit of a crybaby, always running late, making excuses…” 

Sasuke smirks. “You two must have gotten along.” 

Kakashi smiles, his eye squeezing shut. “Maa, back then I was much harder. I was a stickler for rules, always berating him. He said we were rivals,” Kakashi looks over, catching Sasuke’s eye, “just like you and Naruto. But I refused to acknowledge him. My other teammate, Rin, was a lot like Sakura. Too kind, too gentle, a natural with chakra control - she was our med-nin. She always hated when me and Obito fought.” Kakashi reminisces for a minute, letting his words sink in. Sasuke stares at his hands, glaring at nothing in particular. Glaring at himself. 

“I’ve told you before, but the times I grew up in were torn with war. We were sent out on a lot of high-stakes missions, younger than you are now, because there simply weren’t enough bodies on the field otherwise. The day I was promoted to jonin, we were supposed to take out a bridge on the enemy lines. My sensei, Minato, went to distract the enemy while Obito, Rin, and I were to set up the explosion. It should have been easy enough; we were all competent but… Rin was captured.” Sasuke looks over, but Kakashi’s eye is trained on the sky, his face holding too many emotions to decipher. 

“Obito wanted to rescue her and I refused.” Kakashi chuckles, a hollow sound. “I wanted to stay on-task. We had a mission to complete. If we’d just gone together from the beginning, maybe--” He cuts short, sighing. “Obito refused to follow my orders and went in search of Rin, while I kept working my way towards the bridge. It felt wrong, I’d decided, and I went to find my teammates. We got Rin back, but…” Sasuke looks over once more, mouth opening as though he has something to say before it shuts, silently waiting for Kakashi to finish. “The enemy ambushed us. Obito died to protect me from one of their falling boulders. He… My eye had gotten nicked by an enemy kunai earlier in the mission. As a parting gift, he gave me his sharingan.” 

Sasuke’s eyes widen, thinking back to the first time he’d seen Kakashi’s sharingan in the Land of the Mist. “It was my first mission as a jonin and if I had my choice it would have been my last. I’d failed them. Rin was captured, Obito was killed. I didn’t do anything right, all because I refused to work as a team and acknowledge them as my allies.” He finally looks away from the clouds, eye dark with emotions. “Naruto and Sakura want to help you, not out of pity, but out of duty as your friends. Don’t be like me, Sasuke. Let them help you as you have helped them. You don’t have to shoulder this burden alone.” 

Sasuke bites his lip, eyebrows scrunching. He looks away, locking himself out, grip tightening on the front of his pants. ‘Now is not the time for this, Sasuke. Stop it. Stop it. St--’

Kakashi’s hand lands on Sasuke’s, the warmth seeping in. “Sasuke, look at me.” Sasuke’s eyes snap over to Kakashi’s, trying for a glare but not quite making it. “I told you, I’ll never let a comrade die. I’m not telling you all of this to make you beat yourself up or to make you question yourself and your abilities. I know you’ve been through a lot,” Sasuke scoffs despite himself, “and I don’t pretend to know what you’re facing. But I know that you have Naruto and Sakura to look out for now. I’ll say it again, seeking revenge beyond all else will leave you emptier than you are now.” 

Sasuke’s mouth opens to form a rebuttal, but Kakashi continues. “That doesn’t mean you have to let avenging your clan go. Just...keep the people you care about in your corner. Protect them and, for god’s sake, Sasuke, let them protect you sometimes.” 

Sasuke looks away again, hunching in on himself. “...I thought Naruto was done for.” Kakashi’s eye softens, his eyebrow turning upwards. “How am I supposed to-- How can I protect them from that--” His knuckles turn white, scowl intensifying. “Itachi was going after Naruto and I was powerless, I thought he’d--- He’d fucking _slaughter_ him- I--” his jaw clenches and he swallows hard, clearly not willing to grate anything else out. 

Kakashi wraps his arm around Sasuke’s shoulders, pulling him in. Sasuke, surprisingly enough, lets it happen. His chin rests atop Sasuke’s head. “Maa, what are we going to do with you?” Sasuke wishes he knew. 

They sit there for a few more minutes, Sasuke’s body loosening and tightening as though he’s at war with himself. He remembered his father saying “ _Uchiha boys don’t cry, Sasuke,”_ after a particularly bad encounter with one of the neighborhood strays. ‘Uchiha boys don’t cry, Sasuke. Get over yourself.’ Still, the arm wrapped around his shoulders felt calming, warm. “ _Let them protect you sometimes._ ” He remembers his mom’s gentle smile, pulling him into her arms that night. “ _How are those scratches doing, Sasuke-chan? All better?_ ” He’d tried his best to smile, his face wobbling. She’d giggled, leaning down and wrapping him in her arms. 

  
“ _Don’t listen to your father, Sasuke. Sometimes we need to cry, just to let it all out. Right?_ ” She’d rubbed soothing circles into his back as he let his tears flow, snot mixing into the tears and smearing across her shirt. He’d cried over her burial plot for weeks, sobbing until his throat went raw. ‘Shut up, get over it already. Just--’ He sees Naruto standing in the doorway of his hotel room, Itachi looming over him and breaks, sobbing despite himself. No tears escape as his body wretches, his shoulders seizing. He shoves his hands into his face, embarrassed and angry. His breath hitches in his throat as he struggles to breathe. Unknowingly, he activates his sharingan. Kakashi pivots, wrapping him fully in an embrace. Suddenly, Sasuke feels ten feet away, his body lost. 

For what it’s worth, he composes himself fairly quickly. After a series of beratements - ‘I’m in public, what am I doing. I’m a ninja. I’m a chunin. This is _Kakashi_ , I can’t do this in front of him. Stop it, you’re being pathetic. _Breathe_ , asshole’ - and a few deep breaths, he’s calmed down enough to stop shaking. Kakashi lets him go and he leans back, blushing with a scowl. “I have to get packed.”

Kakashi’s reluctant to let him leave - who knew a single eye could reflect so much sadness - but agrees, standing to get his own bag packed. He holds out his hand for Sasuke to grab and, thankfully, he does. He’s still blushing, scowling at the ground, but mumbles out a quick “thanks” before setting off down the bridge. Kakashi watches him go for a moment before taking off, his hair rustling in the wind. 

As promised, everyone from Team 7 has made it to the village gate no less than an hour after they were dismissed. Sasuke’s back to his usual deadpan, hands in his pockets, by the time he arrives. Kakashi can’t help but feel concerned for him, but… “Yo, Sasuke. We’re just waiting on Naruto to join us.” 

Not even two minutes later, Naruto is running down the street, dust cloud kicking up in his wake. “Alright!!!!!!! Let’s go, Team Naruto!!!”

Sakura’s eyebrows furrow. “Team...Naruto?” 

“Yeah, well I’m a chunin now, right? So, I can lead my own squad!!” He grins mischievously, eyes settling on Sasuke. “I say we split up me and Sakura-chan and then Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke!! That way we can cover more ground and look for bad guys!” 

Sakura deadpans. “Not a chance.”  
  
  
“Whaaat, why not!?” 

“Naruto, you’ve got to know better than that. First of all,” Kakashi holds up one finger, his other hand resting on his hip, “I’m still your jonin instructor.” A second finger goes up, “second of all, we’re only protecting one girl. There are better scouting formations in this case than trying to fan out.” 

Naruto pouts, eyes scrunching up. “I knew that…” 

Sakura sighs “Sure you did.” 

Naruto lights up once more, unbothered. “So, so! Where’s this kid!?” 

An old lady and young child walk up behind him, the young child’s voice booming out “who are you calling a kid!” 

“Eh?” He turns, facing the one who called him out. She’s no older than nine, at least a foot shorter than Naruto, and her curly ginger hair fans out around her head as though she has a lion’s mane. 

“Well!? I’m waiting, punk!” 

“Punk!!!? Who are you calling a punk, pipsqueak!” Naruto’s fists raise in a battle stance, jaw clenching. 

“Weren’t you listening, dummy? I’m--”  
  
  
“Please, Miss Ami, if I’m not mistaken, these ninja are to be your escorts to the capital. Why don’t you make nice with them…?” The old lady pats her head, a small chuckle escaping her lips. “I’m sorry, sir. She’s a rambunctious one alright!”  
  
  
“Don’t say sorry, Granny Chi! This kid is the one who started it!!” 

  
Naruto recoils. “Me!? You’re--”

Kakashi cuts him off, patting his hand on top of Naruto’s head with a chuckle. “Maa, no harm, no foul. I take it that you’re Chilo Hiroko? It’s an honor to meet you, my lady.” 

Sakura blinks at the pair, looking between Chilo and Kakashi, before she bows. “Welcome, Lady Chilo, Miss Ami.” 

“Oho!! No need for that, deary!” Chilo waves her off as Sakura stands. “What good manners! I’m but an old granny, no need for such formalities any longer. Just take good care of this one.”   
  
  
“We will!” Sakura smiles at her before glancing towards Naruto, who’s still glaring daggers at Ami. ‘Hopefully Naruto doesn’t rip her head off before we make it to the capital.’ 

“Well, then… If there are no additional terms we need to hear, we’ll be heading out, Lady Chilo.” Kakashi pulls out the mission agreement, allowing her to read it over. 

“Yes, everything seems to be in order.” She smiles, handing the paperwork back to Kakashi. “You call me when you get home, okay, Ami? And give your mom and dad a kiss for me!!” With one more ruffle and a kiss on the cheek, which Ami promptly wipes off, Chilo sets off back into town. 

“Bye Granny Chi!!! Love you!!!” She waves enthusiastically, standing on her tippy toes. Once Chilo has turned the corner and is out of sight, she wheels back around. “Are you guys really gonna be able to protect me? You look kinda weak…” 

  
“Weak!? Don’t you see these vests? All of us are at chunin level! You know what that means, huh!? We’re way prepared to protest some snot-nosed brat like you!” Naruto sticks his tongue out at her and she mimics him. Sakura sighs, hand finding its way to her temple. ‘It’s going to be a long couple of days…’


	8. Go, Team 7! Your Mission Begins!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their first mission as a mostly chunin team. What trouble do they face? You'll soon find out! 
> 
> As always, if you have any criticism, suggestions, or questions, reach out below, in a message, or as an ask on tumblr @leo-probably. Thank you for your continued interest in this fic and I hope you're still enjoying your time here!!

They move through the forest in a manji formation. Kakashi takes the back, Naruto and Sasuke flanking Ami, and Sakura in the front.

  
“If we move quickly enough, we should be in the capital within two days.”

“Can’t we just carry her there? We can move faster that way.” Naruto was already slouched over, feet dragging. They’d agreed on moving through the trees after discovering Ami could do so, but it was still a slow-moving process. 

Kakashi sighs, wondering to himself if Naruto would ever be ready to lead a team of his own. “Naruto, think about it clearly - what would happen if one of us were carrying her.” 

His hand moves to cup his chin, eyes squinting. “Mmmmm… That person would get tired more quickly?” 

“Well, yes, but that’s not the point - what if an enemy attacks us?” 

“They’d be the target of attacks, right? Cause, uh, the bad guy would be after her, not the rest of us.”

“Exactly. And--” Sasuke’s hand rises, holding up one finger. “ _If an enemy approaches, remember the hand signs - five fingers for the strongest enemy, a fist for the lowest. Anything more and we risk alerting the enemy that we are aware of their presence._ ” He stares directly to his left for a beat before looking ahead. Kakashi sighs. ‘Already, huh?’ They’d barely gotten past Konoha border patrol. Sasuke taps his finger on Sakura’s side. They ready themselves, tension buzzing through the air. 

“A very good lesson indeed, young man…” The assailant’s voice carries throughout the forest, deep and bone-chilling. Team 7 keeps moving, hoping to reach a relative clearing before a fight ensues, their formation tightening. “Too bad he won’t ever get to use it.” The enemy lurches out of the forest, directly on Sasuke’s left, a giant hammer in hand. Sasuke parries his swing, grabbing the hilt just before his attack can land. 

The man sneers, ripping the hammer backwards, pulling Sasuke with him. Sasuke uses the momentum to swing around the hammer’s hilt, delivering a swift kick to the man’s elbow. The man winces, his grip loosening on the hammer.   
  
  
“Brat!” Sasuke launches off of the man’s elbow, wrenching the hammer out from his weakened grip. He streamlines towards a nearby tree, landing on the bark with a thump. The man glares, shaking his fist. “You think it’s that easy to beat me!?”

“Yes, actually.” Sakura, who’d moved while the man was distracted, holds a kunai to the side of the man’s throat.  
  
  
“B-but...how!? What kind of trick--” 

Naruto grins at him, his clones circling in. “Sounds like you’re the one who needs a lesson, old man! While you were so focused on taking out our teammate, I made a few shadow clones and dispersed them around the area, making sure you couldn’t run. Not only that, but Sakura-chan was able to move in on you.”

Sakura smiles at him, eyes hard. “I wouldn’t make any sudden movements if I were you.” 

He cackles, turning to attack Sakura, barely registering the kunai’s gash. Sakura leaps back as Naruto’s clones leap forward. Before any of them can make contact, Sasuke leaps off of the tree he’d landed on, pounding the hammer into the man’s stomach. The man makes a small “oof” sound, spitting up a mixture of blood and saliva. Sasuke swings the hammer back, allowing the man to tumble forward. He hits the ground and Naruto’s clones follow. “Tie him up, tie him up!” Another clone speaks up, shoving the other. “I know already, give me the rope, will ya?” 

Sasuke leans the hammer on the tree branch, his other hand landing on his hip. “Hmph. What a pushover.” 

Kakashi sighs, his eyelid drooping. “Well, better send word of this one back to the village patrol.” He opens one of his vest’s pouches, a small scroll slipping out. He nicks his finger as he unravels the scroll, brushing the blood against the parchment. A small dog appears moments later. 

“Yo, Kakashi. What’s up?” 

“Pakkun, nice to see you. Can you find one of the Konoha patrol ninja and alert them about our little…” He glances at the ground, watching Naruto’s clones tie the man to a tree, “...problem, one hour north of the patrol border?” 

Pakkun’s eyebrows crease as he sniffs at the air. “Can do, boss.” 

“Thank you, safe travels.” Kakashi opens the larger pocket of his flak vest, pulling out a bag of treats. He tosses two in the air and Pakkun jumps to catch them, setting off towards the village. 

Ami blinks at him, clearly impressed. “Did that dog just… talk?” 

Kakashi lets out an awkward chuckle. “Yes, he’s one of my ninja dogs. He’s a special one.” 

Her eyes light up as she grins, “cool!!!” She looks over at Sasuke, who’s still balancing the hammer. “Hey, can I keep that thing?” 

Kakashi chuckles again, rubbing the back of his head. “Sadly not, Miss Ami. We’ll have to seal it up and send it back to Konoha as evidence.”

“It’s too big for a pipsqueak like you anyway,” Naruto pipes up, his arms crossed. “Can’t you say ‘thank you’ or something? We just saved you!” 

“But you said it yourself, he wasn’t that strong. Besides, it’s your job to protect me, right?” She sticks her tongue out at him as they get into yet another glaring match. 

“Alright already,” Sasuke says, looking over at Kakashi, “can we wrap this up? Who knows whether or not this guy had friends.” 

Kakashi nods, pulling out another, thicker scroll. He unweaves it until he reaches a blank space, reaching out for the hammer. Sasuke hands it to him and within a matter of seconds the weapon poofs down, sealed into the scroll. “Now, then. Is he all tied up, Naruto?” 

Naruto’s clones all look up from their spot on the ground, grinning. “Yes, sir!!” 

Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi peer down at the tree stump, each one deadpanning at the same time. Kakashi struggles out a “ha ha…” as he scratches his head. “A little overboard, but I suppose that will do. Thank you, Naruto.” The man’s entire body, from his shoulders to his toes, is wrapped in rope and he’s tied to the tree in a series of knots.  
  
  
They reform into a manji formation, moving slightly quicker than they had before. Whether it was pure luck or word spreading around that one of their own bounty hunters had already been beaten, the team had few complications for the rest of the day. 

Eventually, Ami has gotten tired of jumping through the trees and asks them to start walking. She’s made fast friends with Sakura, talking about Spring activities and ‘icky boys’ around the capital. Every time Naruto would butt in, the two would glare at him. Sasuke stayed quiet, vigilant, but even he let a few smirks slip out along the way. “I’m tireddd, can’t we stop for the day, Sakura-nee?” 

It _was_ getting late, Kakashi supposed. They’d have to set up camp soon anyway. “Maaa, alright. We’ve made good progress today, so we can set up camp nearby. Sasuke, Sakura - grab some sticks for a campfire and meet us back here. Dismissed!” They nod, heading into the forest. 

They walk in silence for a minute or two, collecting fallen branches and twigs, before Sakura speaks up. “Sasuke-kun…” She pauses, watching for his reaction. He glances over at her and she takes it as a sign to continue. “How have you been feeling? I- I mean… you just got out of the hospital and all. Not that you seem like you’re doing bad!!” She lets out a small ‘ha ha,’ a nervous blush forming on her cheeks. 

He stares at her for a second, a small frown on his lips. “I’m fine, Sakura. Don’t worry.” He bends down to pick up another stick as Kakashi’s words ring through his head. _“For god’s sake, Sasuke, let them protect you sometimes._ ” He scowls to himself, startling Sakura. 

“I’m sorry, Sasuke-kun, I didn’t mean to upset you or anything--”  
  
  
“You didn’t. I’m…” He looks away, glaring at the ground as an embarrassed blush tints his cheeks. “It’s fine.” 

By the time they make it back to camp, Kakashi and Naruto have set up two tents. “The four of you will be in one tent and I will be in the other.” 

“Sensei, why do you always get a tent by yourself?” Naruto whines every time, but if he were honest with himself, he’d say he has trouble falling asleep on missions without the noise. 

“Because I’m your senior and I say so. Besides, the three of you need to protect Miss Ami, correct?” 

Naruto pouts, eyes averting. “Yeah, yeah…” 

“Now, who wants to take the first watch?” 

Sasuke speaks up, dropping his sticks in between the two tents. “I’ll take the first two.”

Kakashi’s eyebrow lowers in concern. “The first two? There’s no need for that, we can switch off in between--”  
  


“I’ll be fine taking the first two.” 

Kakashi looks at him for a second, but his expression is indecipherable. “If you say so, Sasuke.” 

Naruto squints at him, shoulders hunching. “Show off…” Sakura gives him one of her Looks and he frowns, looking away. “Fine, fine.”

Kakashi smiles, eye closing tiredly. “Who wants the third watch?” 

Naruto’s hand darts up. “I’ll take it, sensei!” 

“Alright. Sakura, are you okay with taking the last one?” 

“Yes, sensei.” She likes the morning watches anyway. Besides, when Naruto had to wake up early, he was always a pain. ‘Sasuke-kun…’ She thinks back to the sleeping pills and wonders if he’s brought them on the mission, but she doubts it. He seems to be acting normally, but…

“It’s settled then! Now, why don’t we sit down and eat? You all must be starving!” 

They start up a fire, pulling out some canned and otherwise pre-prepared goods from their backpacks. Sakura glances around, noticing Naruto pull out something that looks suspiciously like… “Oh come on, Naruto. Ramen?” 

“Well, all it needs is boiling water, right?” He sets a small pail over the fire, pouring in some water from his flask. “I’ve been meaning to see if it worked or not, ya know!” Sakura just sighs, shaking her head. Ami giggles from her seat near the fire, earning herself a glare. 

Kakashi sighs, opening up a pack of smoked fish. “You should eat more vegetables, Naruto. You’re still growing.” 

Naruto makes a face, arms waving defensively. “Yeah yeah, I know. Ramen has some vegetables! Besides, you’re one to talk with your stinky fish…” 

‘Yet again getting bullied by a twelve-year old…’ He can feel his past-self laughing at him as a tired smile settles onto his face. They eat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes as Naruto waits for his ramen water to boil.

“Sakura-nee, I brought along some cookies!! Do you want one?” 

Sakura smiles at her, waving her hand. “That’s okay, Miss Ami. You should eat them! Did your granny make them for you?” 

Ami beams at her with the ease only a child can achieve. “No way! Granny Chi taught me how to bake them a while ago. These are a batch of my very own recipe! Come on, take one, take one!”

‘How can I say no to that!? She’s too cute…’ Sakura takes one, mumbling out a small “thank you” as she takes a bite. ‘It’s…’ she chews slowly, grimacing, ‘...horrible.’ 

“So! How is it, Sakura-nee!?” 

“It’s--” she swallows painstakingly, “It’s really good, Miss Ami!” The girl beams at her, bouncing in place. 

Naruto tunes in, his voice sweeter than it’s been all day. “Hey, hey, can I have some, Miss Ami?” 

Ami glares at Naruto, sticking out her tongue. “Not a chance!!” Sakura can’t help but think that, for once, Naruto is lucky to be turned down. 

When Naruto’s water begins to boil, he lets out a celebratory “whoop!” He reaches out, grabbing the metal pail from the fire. In near slow-mo, he lets out a gasp, dropping the pail, spilling all of the water on the ground. “Nooo!!!!!!” Ami laughs at him, feet kicking at the dirt. Kakashi deadpans, sighing to himself. Sakura and Sasuke both give him puzzled looks, watching as he drops to his knees, neck craning towards the sky. “Why!!!!!!”

“Naruto, why didn’t you use some kind of cloth to grab the pail? Didn’t you realize it’d be hot?” Naruto sniffles in response and Sakura’s hand finds its way to her temple. ‘Jeez.’ 

Sasuke sighs, holding out his dinner. “Here, idiot. Just eat some of this.”

“But-- my ramen--”

Sasuke huffs, eyes rolling. “You can try again tomorrow. Come on, just eat.” Reluctantly, Naruto takes an onigiri, munching on it for a moment. 

“... Thanks.” They stare at each other for a moment before ripping away, glaring at nothing particular.

“...No problem.”

By the time they’re done eating, the sun is setting, hues of orange and purple smeared across the sky. Sakura stands, inviting Ami to join her in the tent to get ready for bed. “Goodnight, Sasuke-kun, Kakashi-sensei.” 

Kakashi smiles, waving to them. “Goodnight, Sakura, Miss Ami. See you in the morning.” 

Sasuke nods. “Goodnight.” 

Sakura smiles, a sliver of worry making its way into her green eyes. “And you, Naruto,” she pivots, glaring daggers, “you better not come in here until we say so. Got it?” 

He shrivels, sweating under her glare. “Yes, Sakura-chan.” 

Kakashi stands, sighing as his knee pops. ‘I’m only 26, huh?’ He stretches lazily, “Maa, guess I should pack it in too. Get some rest, guys. If you need anything on watch, wake me up.” Naruto and Sasuke nod, mumbling out a “goodnight.” Kakashi pauses, wondering if he should say something, before turning and entering his own tent. 

“Thanks for the onigiri, bastard.”   
  
  
“Don’t get used to it, loser.” 

The two share a moment, smirking at each other. Sakura pops her head out, letting Naruto know he can come into the tent when he’s ready. Naruto stands, patting the dirt off of his pants. “Well, uh… Night, Sasuke.” 

Sasuke nods, mumbling out a “goodnight,” and he’s alone once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you guys know that one of Kakashi's favorite foods are saury (a type of fish)?? Because I sure didn't lol. You can use your imagination for what exactly was in Ami's cookies, but I like to imagine that she used way too much salt or maybe just a very strange flavor combination.
> 
> This chapter took a particularly long time because I've never really written action scenes. If there's anything I missed during the fight that would have helped your understanding (or if the fight didn't make sense at all), please let me know!! I'll try to get better as time goes on (since there will hopefully be multiple fighting scenes,, including ones that are much more important than this one was). Thanks in advance for any tips! 
> 
> Stay safe, thanks again for reading!


	9. A 'Shocking' Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to Team 7's escort mission! Will they make it to the capital without further interruption? Will they even make it through the night? You'll soon find out.
> 
> "What if He Stayed" hit 700 readers and 50 kudos as of yesterday and I couldn't be more excited about it!! Thank you, in the most sincere way possible. I hope you're all still enjoying your time here! :^) As always, send any criticisms (especially regarding fighting scenes), questions, suggestions, etc. as a comment, in a message, or as an ask on tumblr @leo-probably. Without further ado, on with the chapter!!

_“It’s not what we want with you, little raven. It’s the boss’ orders to get you to come with us. You have the potential for so much more than...this._ ” They’d been overpowered so easily, just like the day he’d fought Itachi. Just how strong is Orochimaru? “ _What happens when the night is dark and he slips away?_ ”

Sasuke is broken out of his reverie at the sound of a twig snapping somewhere nearby. His hand reaches for his kunai holster, his hair standing on edge. A black cat jumps out of the woods, followed by two small kittens. His shoulders slump as they approach him. He sticks out his hand and the mother cat sniffs at him, curiosity getting the better of her. Before long, she purrs, rubbing against his hand. Her two babies follow, bonking into his thighs. He pets them, scratching behind their ears as they paw at his kunai pouch. 

He reaches behind him, opening up his backpack and taking out the container of onigiri he’d eaten from earlier on. The cats watch, heads cocked to the side in curiosity. There wasn’t much left, but… He lays the container on the ground and the cats crowd around it, devouring the scraps of rice and tomato. 

“Who knew you’d be nice to animals, bastard.” Sasuke’s head snaps towards the tents. Naruto is standing there, arms crossed, a sly grin making its way across his face. 

Sasuke sends him an annoyed glare before deadpanning. “Why are you up?”

“Oh, uh… I had to pee.” Naruto wanders off into the woods as Sasuke looks back down. The cats have finished eating and are starting to rub against his leg again. They purr once more before heading off, moving towards Konoha. He watches them go, wondering briefly whether or not they knew where they were going. 

Naruto comes back soon after, moving to sit down next to Sasuke with a sigh. Sasuke puts the container away, sliding it back into place in his backpack. They sit in silence for a tense moment, Naruto getting increasingly frustrated as he turns the week’s events over in his mind. ‘That Sasuke...What is wrong with him! The fight at the hotel, the fight at the hospital, those Sound guys,” he lets out a frustrated groan. “I don’t understand you!” 

Sasuke looks over, eyebrow quirked.

“Just a few days ago you were pissed at me, launching a chidori in my face, and now you act like it was nothing, sitting here taking extra lookout shifts and feeding cats!! And-- and another thing!” He turns, jabbing his finger in Sasuke’s face. “What the hell is up with you? You look like you haven’t slept in weeks, ‘ttebayo!” Sasuke blinks at him. “Well!? Say something, asshole!”

Sasuke scowls, his shoulders tightening. A rebuttal is forming on his lips in seconds, but… “ _Naruto and Sakura want to help you, not out of pity, but out of duty as your friends.”_ He looks away, feeling Naruto’s glare burning a hole in the side of his head. He swallows, jaw clenching and unclenching. “...Do you know what my brother did?” It comes out as a hoarse whisper. 

Naruto’s seething face softens into one of confusion, eyebrow quirking. “What’s that got to do with anything?”  
  
  
“It’s got everything to do with everything!!” Sasuke snarls out, fingernails digging into his palms. He takes a beat to breathe, swallowing hard. “...He massacred my entire clan in a single night.” 

Naruto’s eyes widen. ‘I remember hearing about something like that in the Academy. But what does…?’ Sasuke continues before he can complete his thought.

“I came home one night and they were all dead, lying on the ground like…” He swallows again, the saliva getting stuck in his throat. His fingers dig further into his palms, the pain his only catharsis. He looks over, eyes locking with Naruto’s. “Have you ever lost someone, Naruto?” 

Naruto had never seen Sasuke quite so...lost. He hides it well, a poker face of steel, but he had that same look in his eyes that Naruto always saw staring back at him in the mirror. He’s so taken aback by the sudden openness that he barely registers the question before Sasuke begins talking once more.

Sasuke smirks, his eyes narrowing. “Didn’t think so…” 

“Now wait a second, it’s-- it’s not the same, but I couldn’t imagine losing Iruka-sensei or Sakura-chan or Kakashi-sensei or-- or you! I’ve never had parents or siblings before, but I can finally see it now!”

Sasuke stares at him, eyebrows still furrowed, his smirk slowly forming into a frown. “You’re right, it’s not the same.” Naruto tries to imagine it, he really does, but he’s never had anyone to lose until recently and he definitely can’t imagine their deaths. Sasuke’s arms wrap around his knees as he leans forward. “You are my closest friend.” 

“Wha- uh-- well, don’t sound so happy about it, jerk! Why’d you say it so matter-of-fact like that?” 

“ _To have eyes like mine, you must kill your closest friend._ ” His eyebrows soften, frown still firmly set into place. “When I found out that Itachi had come to the village and was looking for you,” he lowers his eyes, staring at the grass, “I thought you were dead. I thought to myself ‘not another one.’”

Naruto frowns, unable to come up with anything good to say.

“I thought I was ready to take him on. To avenge what he had done. And yet, I was beaten so easily, it might as well have been child’s play. Had you been alone, you’d have been a goner.” 

“But, Pervy Sage was there! He protected us!” 

“That’s the point, Naruto!” Naruto is visibly taken aback. “If I can’t protect you from that-- _monster_ , then what fucking good is any of this! What game are we playing, huh!?” 

“Sasuke--”

“I _need_ to get stronger; I have to make sure Itachi can never destroy anyone else. So, if running off to that demon Orochimaru is the only way, then--”

“No.” Naruto’s eyes harden as he leans forward, inches from Sasuke’s face. “We do it together.” Sasuke seethes, glaring at the ground. “Sasuke!!” He looks up, his eyes far away, face hard. “We do it _together_. You got that, ‘ttebayo?” 

Sasuke’s face softens, his shoulders slumping. “... hmph.” He turns away, voice muffling as he says “...together.” 

Naruto grins, his hand landing on Sasuke’s shoulder. “Hell yeah!!” He laughs, eyes fierce. “...Now, uh... your watch ended ten minutes ago.” 

Sasuke turns back to face him, already deadpan. “...What?” 

Naruto lets out a ‘heh heh’ as he picks at his cheek, a light blush forming. “Well, ya know, when I said I had to pee… Technically that was the end of your shift. I was just a few minutes early.” 

“... Loser.”

“Me!? You’re the one who wasn’t paying attention to the time! Don’t you have a watch or something!?” 

“... hn”

“Oh, so that’s it? Mister ‘I’m going to be emotionally vulnerable for five minutes of my life before sealing it all back up, so you better be prepared’??” 

Sasuke smirks, a glint of mischief in his eyes as he gets up, grabbing his backpack and walking towards the tent. 

“Hey!! Answer, bastard!!” Naruto’s arms flail around as he tries to think of something good to say. ‘It’s too early in the morning for this! Or would it be too late at night? Oh!! Speaking of night…’ “Did you bring those sleeping pills, bastard?” 

Sasuke turns around. “I... didn’t think I’d need them.” He’s glaring, but the light tint on his cheeks gives away his bluff.

Naruto huffs as he crosses his arms. “Don’t let those go to waste, bastard! You gotta get your rest, especially during mission days, ‘ttebayo!!” 

Sasuke stares for a moment before a small, genuine smile graces his face. “Goodnight, loser.”

“Night, bastard!!” 

As Sasuke lies in the tent, the sound of Sakura’s light snoring filling his ears, he can’t help but wonder if this is where he’s supposed to be. Within a half hour he’s fallen asleep. 

Naruto’s watch is uneventful. He spends some time drawing in the dirt with a small stick before he gets bored. ‘I wonder what the capital will look like.’ He’d never been there before, but he’d heard it was even bigger than Konoha. ‘Maybe there’ll be a festival there!!’ He lets out a little ‘heh heh’ as he grins, wiping at his nose. ‘Pervy Sage didn’t let me have a lot of money at the last one, but he’s not here right now! Yeah!!’ He spends a good while imagining what the festival would look like and how many people would be there, milling around the different stands. ‘If they have a multiplayer game, I’ve got to beat Sasuke!! Maybe Ami will put in a good word with Sakura-chan for me…’ 

He tries not to address the obvious, but the thought sneaks into his mind anyway. _“If I can’t protect you from that-- **monster,** then what fucking good is any of this! What game are we playing, huh!?” _Those two creeps had been looking for him that day. Sasuke was right - if Pervy Sage hadn’t been there, they’d both be… ‘But we weren’t! We’re still alive, right!? So, so, we just need to get stronger, that’s all! Kakashi-sensei might train us, and…” He gulps, “... maybe I can ask Pervy Sage, too. That way, I can protect all of us!!” 

Thoughts of bravado fill his head for the next hour or two as he paces around camp, sparring with the air. He sidekicks, fists up in a fighting stance, when he hears a tree rustle nearby. 'Maybe it's those cats from before?' Still, he feels uneasy, his stomach tightening. He lowers his leg, reaching for his kunai holster. He gulps, another tree from the opposite end of the corner rustling. 'Is it the wind?' He squints, trying to see beyond the leaves. Naruto wasn't one to get cold, so he'd long let the fire die out, but now...   
  
  
A squirrel jumps out of the clearing where the second tree had been rustling, picking at an acorn. His lips purse as his eyes widen. 'For real? I could've sworn there was someone else there. Glad no one was around to see that!' He turns, coming face to face with... "Hey! Who do you think you are!?"   
  
  
They smirk at him as he squints, trying to make out their features in the darkness. They look no older than 18 and they've got long, wavy brown hair. 'That's no one I've ever seen before...'  
  
  
“Don’t make a fuss or you won’t live to see the morning."

'Okay, that's definitely not an ally.' Naruto grins, eyes hardening. “You really don’t know who I am, do you? Kage bunshin no jutsu!!" Three clones appear in a "poof" as Naruto runs forward, aiming a punch at the traveler. The closer he gets, the better he can make out their features. They're wearing a dark-colored yukata, adorned with a long sword.   
  
  
The assailant grabs his punch, too distracted to notice the two clones flanking him until it's too late. Both of them jab outwards, knocking them backwards. They laugh as they rise to their feet, wiping the spit away from their mouth. “I’d love to dance with you, but I’ve got a kid to kidnap.”   
  
  
Naruto grimaces, sending a kunai sailing towards them. They grab it mid-air, launching it back. It barely nicks Naruto's arm, landing with a thunk in a nearby tree. 'My arm... it's going numb!' He forges forward, tackling the teen to the ground. A wave of chakra bolts its way through Naruto's body as it all goes dark. 'W-what!?'

  
"A shame, really." The teen grabs Naruto by the back of his flak jacket, tossing his unconscious body to the side. "Now, where could that little brat be..."  
  


Sasuke wakes up to the sound of a scuffle outside the tent. ‘...Naruto?’ He reaches out his senses, trying to decipher the chakra signals. His eyes snap open. ‘No, an enemy.’ He reaches over, shaking Sakura awake. “Sakura,” 

Sakura blinks at him, still half-asleep. “Hm, what is it, Sasuke-kun?” 

“Enemy, level three or better. We don’t have much time.” 

Her eyes harden as she nods. “What are we going to do?” 

“You take the girl and run, get as far away as possible. I’ll set up a distraction in the meantime.”

“Sasuke-kun…”

“Just do it!” he hisses, “...trust me.” She nods, gathering Ami in her arms. Sasuke concentrates, his breathing evening out as he forms the familiar hand signs...

“Oh, you’re awake? What a pity, I thought I’d only have to take down one brat.” The assailant chuckles. 

Sasuke smirks at them, knees bracing as he settles into a battle stance. “What a pity, I thought you would already be defeated.”

The assailant frowns, moving to grab Ami. Sasuke steps in between them, sharingan roaring to life. “Not so fast, asshole.”

The person grimaces, an annoyed sigh escaping their lips. “If you insist.” A short battle ensues, stunted due to the tent’s walls. Sasuke leaps forward, a swift lowkick sweeping under the person’s legs. They jump, avoiding the attack. 

‘Not one to punch first, huh?’ Sasuke reaches up, grabbing their legs, making them tumble sideways. ‘Was that… electricity?’ He felt a spark as he let go, making his fingers tingle. ‘No doubt about it, this guy is dangerous. No wonder Naruto got overpowered.’ Sasuke scowls. ‘I can’t touch him for too long, and metal would just be a conduit…’

“What’s wrong? Giving up already!? What a smart boy…” They get up, moving to sprint towards Ami once more, but… “Wire!? When did you--” 

“You underestimate your opponent.” The clear wires make their way around the assailant’s ankles, strings leading back towards Sasuke. “This ends now.” He exhales, fire dancing across the wires. In the light, he can just barely see their face. They look familiar, but--

The assailant smirks, “... you underestimate _your_ opponent.” The wires crackle with electricity, breaking through the fire. Sasuke’s jaw clenches as he writhes, the electricity rattling his bones. “I know what you’re thinking,” the person steps over, the wires around their ankles snapping off. “‘How could that be, there were no metal conduits.” They smirk, eyes narrowing as they grab Sasuke by the neck. “I don’t need a strong circuit. Just a connection from my body to yours, that’s all. Plastic, wood, skin...” Sasuke is pulled off of his feet, fresh waves of electricity pumping through his body. He struggles to make out hand signs. They lean in, opening their mouth to whisper in his ear, their breath hot.

Sasuke moves, chidori crackling to life, aiming for their ribcage. The electrical currents mingle together at the last second, blowing both of them backwards. The assailant hits the tent wall, breathing hard. Sasuke gasps, his body phasing right through his decoy of Sakura and Ami as they disappear with a “poof.” 

“What!!!” they screech, hand slamming the ground. “You brat!!! You fucking brat!! Where are they?” 

Sasuke grins at her, struggling to breathe as he wobbles to his knees. He coughs. “H-how should I know?” Before they’d made it into the tent, Sakura escaped with Ami. Sasuke had put up a bunshin jutsu of the two. His only hope was to keep the assailant away from the dupe long enough for Sakura to flee from their sensory range. Had they so much as touched the clones, his little game would have been over. 'I hope you made it, Sakura…'

The assailant screams in frustration, rising to their feet. “You’ll pay for this!” 

“I’m afraid not.” Kakashi appears between the two, hands in a tiger seal. He brings his hands outwards, a burst of wind rippling through the air. The assailant is thrown backwards once more, ripping through the tent wall and hitting a nearby tree with a crunch. They slump over. Kakashi sighs, walking towards the tree. He grips their hair, pulling their head back as he pulls out a sealing tag. “This should get rid of that pesky electricity…” The tag sizzles as Kakashi pools chakra into it, the symbols migrating from the paper onto the assailant’s skin. 

Just then, Naruto wakes up, groaning. “What...happened?” He pops up, eyes widening. “Kakashi-sensei, there’s an attacker!!!” 

Kakashi turns, revealing the person behind him. “Ah… this attacker?” 

He nods, leaping to his feet, wobbling slightly. “Don’t touch him! He’s got some sort of--”

Kakashi nods, cutting him off. “Taken care of. Now… Where are Sakura and Ami?” 

Sasuke, who’d struggled to his feet, makes his way over to the clearing. “I told her to flee with Ami. She should be somewhere nearby, just out of sensory range.” 

“Sasuke!? What the hell--”

“There’s no time for questions. Sasuke, your quick thinking may have saved Ami for the moment, but they’re still in danger. If Sakura is confronted by herself, she’ll be unable to protect Ami while engaging the enemy.” Kakashi sighs, thinking in short order. “Sasuke, you were more heavily affected by the electricity - you stay here and tie the assailant up. Do not let your guard down. Naruto, make a few shadow clones and fan them out, we’ll try to find Sakura.”

Naruto and Sasuke nod. “Understood!” Sasuke moves towards the tree, steps lurching, as Naruto and Kakashi take off into the woods. The world felt blurry and his throat was dry. ‘Did Naruto not get electrocuted? How is he faring any better?’ He bends down, picking up his bag that had been blown through the tent with Kakashi’s earlier jutsu, searching for a rope. His arms are burned and it stings to touch anything, but before long he’s found the rope. He moves to tie up the assailant, movements slow and deliberate.

Naruto and Kakashi make quick work, moving through the trees with a watchful eye. Before long, Naruto perks up, one of his clones having dispersed. “Kakashi-sensei, I found her. We’ve got to turn left.” Kakashi nods, shoulders tense. Not five minutes later they’ve found her, traps set and kunai in hand with Ami, awake and crying, behind her. “Sakura-chan!!”

Sakura’s eyes snap upwards, face darkening. “Stop right there! Tell me one thing only my teammates would know!”

Naruto pouts, shoulders slouching. “C’mon Sakura-chan, what am I supposed to know that you don’t?” 

Kakashi sighs, hand massaging his chin. “Maaa… something only we would know… Sasuke and I were just in the hospital a few days ago, caught under genjutsu.” 

She relaxes slightly, a wobbly smile gracing her lips. “Is everyone alright? Where’s Sasuke-kun?”

  
“Sasuke is fine, he’s tying up the assailant as we speak. There’s no time to talk now, we have to get back to camp.” She nods, taking Ami’s hand. 

“Sakura-nee, are we really safe now?” Her grip tightens, fear etched across her face.

Sakura smiles at her, eyes closing. “Yes, Miss Ami. But we really do need to get going, okay?” 

“....Okay.” With that, they set off once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was anyone going to tell me that there was a filler where they escorted a relative of the Fire Daimyo (named Naho), or was I just supposed to do my research beforehand like a good writer? Whoops. Being that we're already halfway through the mission, let's just ignore that fact. The two relatives are different people with different story lines. 
> 
> As a general note, none of the fillers that were supposed to happen after the Chunin Exams (like the story of Naho's escort mentioned above) exist in this timeline. Okay? Okay. Sorry about that!


	10. It's a Nice Afternoon for Inner Contemplation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did the assailant want with Ami? Who are they? Why does Sasuke think he recognizes them? You'll soon find out in the 10th chapter and 20,000 word-marker of 'What if He Stayed.'
> 
> Making notes on a story and adding in the fact that Team 7 "goes on a mission" without adding any further details might have been asking for trouble on my end lol,, but we're getting through it all the same! As always, I hope you guys are enjoying your time here. If you have any suggestions, questions, criticisms, etc. feel free to comment them, send a message, or send an ask on tumblr @leo-probably! Thank you again for reading. Now, on with the chapter!!

“I’ll ask again, what is your business with the Fire Daimyo’s granddaughter?” Team 7 is stationed around the clearing, sleep long forgotten. Their yukata-clad assailant is tied to a nearby tree, having woken up shortly after Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Ami returned to camp.

They grin, spit flying as they scream out “There’s not a chance in hell I’ll tell the likes of you my business!!” 

The rekindled fire in between Team 7’s tents crackles, shadows dancing along the trees. Ami sits next to it wrapped up in her sleeping bag, shivering. Sakura sits to her right, one hand on Ami’s back and a kunai in the other. Naruto is on the other end of the clearing, leaning against a tree. Sasuke sits in the middle of the three, one knee in the air with his left arm resting on top of it, his right-hand inches from his kunai pouch. All three of them have their senses on high alert, expecting yet another enemy to arrive. 

Kakashi is crouched next to the assailant, his eyes narrowing more and more by the second. “If you insist…” He moves to push his headband up, revealing his sharingan eye.

The assailant’s eyes widen as they try to lift their arms, palms out. “Wait! You’re Kakashi Hatake, the copy-cat ninja!?” 

“Ah, so you’ve heard of me. Not that it matters…”

“No!” They strain against the ropes, leaning forward slightly. “You-- you might understand our mission!”

Sasuke speaks up, eyes narrowing. “ _Our_ mission?”

The assailant sighs, leaning back against the bark. Kakashi lowers his headband, eyeing them suspiciously. “My name is Seiko.” They pause, waiting for a reaction. Having received nothing, they continue. “I am one of the Fire Daimyo’s guards. Or, I should say, _was_ one of his guards.”

Sasuke’s eyes widen for a moment as he’s overcome with a flashback - he knew he’d seen someone like them before. When he was around five or six years old, his family had traveled to the capital. There were a few Uchiha’s who were to start training to join the Daimyo’s guard that year and his father was required to attend as their Head of Clan. Of course, that had meant his mother, brother, and him were all required to be in attendance as well. It was a very formal event and there must have been hundreds of guards wandering around, all with that same general look. Long hair, though most of them had it tied up, dark-colored yukatas, and long swords on their backs.   
  
  
Naruto is puzzled, his face scrunched up. “So, so... if this person was a part of the Daimyo’s guard, what are they doing here?” He eyes Seiko, a large frown making its way to his face. “Don’t you know you’re supposed to _protect_ his family?” 

“Quiet, brat!” Seiko snaps, teeth gritting together. “I was considered one of the Fire Daimyo’s first in command. I was with him for all important events, including his meetings with the governors of the different villages around the Land of Fire. You people might not realize it, but the daimyo is… weak.”

Naruto speaks up once again. “Is he sick?” 

Seiko chuckles. “Oh, he’s sick alright, but not in the way you mean. No, the daimyo isn’t feeling unwell.” Their smile drops as their eyes narrow, jaw clenching. “I witnessed him, meeting after meeting, hem and har over the lives of the people he rules over, being easily swayed into decisions that were better for the elite! If people could convince him that something was for his own gain or in his better interest, they would win, every time!!” 

Kakashi moves to sit down, his eye darkening. “So, you mean to say you…”

“Yes!” Seiko grins, their eyes gleaming. “We plan to overthrow the daimyo!”

Naruto looks between Seiko and Kakashi, his eyebrows furrowed. “Hey, wait-- I’m lost here. What do you mean, ‘overthrow the daimyo’? Why would you…?”

Seiko glares at him, their eyes full of steel. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand, brat. Brought up in a prosperous shinobi village, graced with the daimyo’s wealth. There are villages in our land that are starving, war-torn, wrecked beyond savior… There are entire towns of orphans!! All because the Fire Daimyo will not act upon anything but his own selfish greed!!”

Sakura glares at Seiko. “Hey! You don’t know anything about us or our lives, so don’t speak as though you do!” She frowns, looking from Sasuke to Naruto before glaring at Seiko once more. 

Kakashi’s eyebrow furrows. “My comrade is right - you know very little about the group you’ve bumped in to.” 

“.... You’re right. I know nothing of your three brats. But I know you, Kakashi. You, who lost your dad at such a young age. Orphaned and alone. What did the system do for you, huh!? Wouldn’t you like to live in a better world!?” 

“... I would.” He smiles, his visible eye closing. “However....” His eyebrow furrows once more, voice taking on an edge, “I doubt that your attempt to overthrow the Fire Daimyo and his entire staff will pan out well for anyone involved. I suggest you give it up before it costs you your life.” 

“You’re wrong!! If I could have his granddaughter as bait, make him see that he has something to lose… nothing would be impossible!! You’ll see!!” 

“Do you have any support?” Kakashi’s voice is calm but his shoulders are tight.

“What!? Of course, we’re a large--”

“Do you have any plans for after you use his granddaughter, an innocent eight-year old, as bait? Have you considered the repercussions of such an act? Even if you find yourself in power, you won’t last long.” Seiko is unable to meet Kakashi’s eye. “There should be change. However, stealing a little girl and making death threats won’t get you any closer to your goals. It’ll be your death sentence.” 

“Y-you’re wrong…”

“We can handle this in one of two ways. I take you back to Konoha and turn you in, revealing your entire plot. You will be in chains in minutes. Or... “

“...Or?”

“You promise not to come after this little girl or her family. You find another way and you never speak of this stunt again.” 

Seiko lets out a shaky, breathy laugh. “How do you know I’ll comply?”

“I don’t. But I promise you…” he leans in, inches from Seiko’s face, “the next time you see us will be your last.” 

Seiko gulps, running through the conversation. Sakura’s grip tightens, her arm wrapping around Ami’s shoulder as she instinctively pulls her closer. “... Fine.” Naruto lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding as Sasuke leans back, the tension still clear in his shoulders. 

Kakashi stands. “...Good.” He looks over, scanning the clearing before his eyes settle on his team. “We’re moving out, it’s close enough to dawn that we shouldn’t have too much trouble. Pack up, before we get anymore… visitors.” The three of them nod, preparing themselves for the day ahead. Kakashi walks into his tent, preparing a new report scroll for Konoha border patrol. When it’s finished, he summons Bull. 

“Kakashi? Been a while. What’s going on?” 

“Bull, good to see you. I was wondering if you could send a message back to border patrol.”  
  


“From here!?” He barks at Kakashi’s audacity, jumping on his hind legs. “Aren’t we almost a day out?” 

“For humans, yes.” 

“Hmmm… For you, Kakashi, I will.” 

“Thank you, Bull-san.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Just hand over the scroll.” Kakashi hands him a few dog treats, which Bull promptly eats, before tucking the scroll in Bull’s jacket. “See ya soon.” Kakashi waves as Bull heads out, sniffing at the ground. By the time he’s packed up and deconstructed his tent, the rest of the team is nearly ready.

“Kakashi-sensei? What should we do about this tent?” Sakura’s arms are interlocked behind her as she bobs on the front of her feet. 

“Maaa….” He sighs, looking over the damage. The entire front of the tent is torn and it looks like the bottom layer has been scorched by the heat of their lightning attacks. “I suppose we’ll just have to tear the rest of it up and scatter it. Maybe it’ll help keep enemies off of our tail.” 

“Good thinking, sensei!” She smiles at him, the action not quite reaching her eyes, as she trots off, reporting the news to Naruto and Sasuke. 

They make quick work of it, tearing up the last of the tent’s fabric and heading into the woods to tie it to trees and nestle it between cracks in boulders. When all is said and done, it takes them another twenty minutes until they’re ready to leave. 

“If we move quickly enough, barring any further issue, we should be in the capital by sundown. Is everyone ready?” 

Naruto grins, his eyebrows furrowing. Sakura holds Ami’s hand, her shoulders back. They both say “yes, sensei!” in tandem. Sasuke nods, hands already in his pockets. All of them look worn out, dark lines lining their eyes. Kakashi nods, moving to leave.

“Hey!! Aren’t you forgetting someone!?” Seiko, who’s still tied up to the tree, struggles against their ropes. 

“No, of course not.” Kakashi glances towards them, smiling. “Someone will be coming to pick you up soon. Bye now!” He holds his hand up in a wave before taking off into the trees, his team following him. 

Naruto glances back towards the clearing, his eyebrows scrunched in worry. “Ne, ne, Kakashi-sensei. You’re not really gonna leave them there, are you? I mean, I know they attacked us, but--”

“I sent word back to Konoha patrol. They’ll be sending someone to pick Seiko up within the day.”

“But-- Kakashi-sensei, you ratted them out!?” 

Kakashi glances towards Naruto, deadpan. “No.”

Naruto turns back, facing Kakashi as his eyes widen, one eyebrow quirked. “H-huh?” 

“In the scroll, the only thing I told them about was an attacker who was tied to a tree. I didn’t tell them expletives. That’s up to Seiko.” 

“Ohhh, I get it, sensei! You didn’t go against your word, but you didn’t reveal your intentions either! That’s pretty devious…” Naruto lets out a little “heh heh,” wiping at his nose as he grins.

‘Was this kid really ready for chunin?’ Kakashi huffs, eyebrow creasing. “Yes, Naruto. There are times when you shouldn’t reveal yourself to the enemy, whether that be in battle or in conversation. Got it?”

“Got it, ‘ttebayo!!” Kakashi wonders if he really understands or he just says so in order to avoid a lecture. Regardless, they keep moving. 

“I’m starvinggg” Ami and Naruto call out before glaring at each other and sticking out their tongues. 

“Can we stop for food, Sakura-nee?” Ami tugs on her shirt, eyes hopeful.

“Yeah, can we, Kakashi-sensei? Can we?” Naruto throws out his best puppy eyes, his hands coming together as he pleads.

Sasuke stares at him, eyebrows narrowing. ‘Tch, how annoying...’ and yet he can’t help but feel a bemused smirk forming on his lips. 

‘It’s like having two eight-year olds for the price of one.’ Kakashi looks the group over before looking towards the sky, attempting to discern the time based on the sun’s placement in the sky.

“It’s 2:02 pm, sensei.” Sakura smiles at him, her pocket watch dangling in hand. 

“A-ah… Right…” His eyebrow creases as he chuckles, scratching the back of his head. “Maaa, I suppose we can stop for something to eat…”

Ami and Naruto grin, jumping in place, fist pumping simultaneously. “Yay!!!” 

Sakura sighs, smiling as she interlocks her arms behind her back. ‘If only they realized how similar they were…’

They wind up at a small tea shop that has dark purple curtains hanging across the door. The owners seem nice enough and there aren’t many patrons, so they settle into a small, wooden table right away. The chairs creak as they sit down, worn with use. An old lady comes over, smiling at them with pen and paper in hand. “What can I get for you lovelies today?” 

Once they’ve ordered and said their ‘thank you’s, Kakashi leans in. “We’re a few hours out from the capital. That’s no reason to let any of our guards down. There are more people who recognize the daimyo’s family in the capital than anywhere else. Do not trust _anyone_ until we’ve reached our final location. Got it?” They nod, a somber air encapsulating their table. 

Sakura listens to Ami chatter about the capital absent-mindedly, staring at the wooden table before her. “ _You, who lost your dad at such a young age. Orphaned and alone. What did the system do for you, huh!?”_ She glances towards Kakashi, his nose stuck in that weird Icha Icha book. ‘Is sensei all alone, too? Just like…’ She glances towards Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto listens intently to Ami, soaking in her words about the capital. Sasuke stares at the table – if a stranger saw him, they’d say he was angry or brooding. In reality, he was just exhausted. _“Wouldn’t you like to live in a better world!?”_ A better world… Can something like that even exist? She can’t take the silence any longer, being stuck with all these thoughts in her head. She clears her throat. “…Kakashi-sensei, what was it that Seiko was implying? With your father?” 

Kakashi glances up from his book. His face remains neutral but his shoulders tense, his grip on the book’s binding tightening. “I can’t tell you.”

Naruto and Sasuke look over at him, surprised at his denial. “But, sensei--”

“Not right now, Sakura. Not here.” 

“... Okay” She’s reluctant to let the topic go, but she knows Kakashi won’t budge. It just makes her more worried. ‘I know he’s an adult, but… Why doesn’t any of this sit well?’ Her worrying is cut short when the old lady comes back carrying a tray with their food on it. 

“Here you are, lovelies! Let me know if you need anything else.” With one more smile, she heads off, back behind a small curtained door on the far end of the shop. 

Ami chatters about the capital well into the meal, only stopping to take bites of food. “And!! In the Fall, they have a really cool festival! There are a bunch of lanterns hung up everywhere and everyone shows up in formal clothes!” 

Naruto’s captivated, his eyes wide as he takes in what she’s saying. “So, so, what’s the festival for?” 

“Something about my grandfather’s job. There are always a bunch of people on stage, doing some long, boring speech. The rest of the festival is fun, though!! They have face paint and games and prizes!!”

“That does sound really fun, ‘ttebayo!!” They grin at each other before they seem to realize they’re ‘sworn enemies,’ going back to munching on their respective meals in silence. 

‘The Fall Inauguration, huh…’ Sasuke doesn’t speak up, but the memories hit him all the same. His father introducing Itachi to the daimyo’s honored guests, his mother sneaking him some money to go play a game… It was the last time he’d been in the capital; his father had never taken him in subsequent years. He’d wanted to travel with them - he thought Itachi might be able to teach him some moves on the way - but it had turned into one of the only times of the year where he and his mother had alone time, so he hadn’t been too upset. ‘That’s all in the past now; no use in thinking about it any longer.’ He scowls at himself, earning a curious look from Sakura. Thankfully, she doesn’t bring it up. ‘Kakashi’s father… How did he die? And that lightning user, talking about changing the country... ‘ He couldn’t make sense of it, opting to drop the topic for the time being.

When they’re all done with their meals, they stand up, knocking on the doorframe where the lady disappeared to. She comes out, all smiles. “Ah! Did you enjoy everything? All ready to pay?” 

Kakashi chuckles, scratching his head. “Aha, yes… Thank you very much.” Each of them pays for their own meal and they’re on their way, waving goodbye. ‘Here’s to hoping we finish this mission before things go south…’


	11. Taking on the Capital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I'm sorry for the delay with this chapter. I want to say it was because I've had a hectic week, but that's not necessarily the reason why this chapter took so long. I just wasn't sure where to go with it or where to start off, and writer's block is a bitch lol. Thank you for your patience!
> 
> As a side note, I'm a junior in college and our semester starts this Monday, the 24th. I will still be updating this story ASAP, but I want to give you fair warning in case I can only update once or twice a week (compared to updating every day). Again,,, I appreciate your patience. Anyway! I hope you're still enjoying your time here. Let's get on with the chapter, shall we?

“Woah!!!!” Naruto’s right hand is perched on his forehead, shading his eyes from the setting sun. His left arm is wrapped around the tree he’s standing on, holding him steady as he leans forward. Team 7 has stopped just outside of the capital, taking to the treetops to size up the city they’ll be traversing. “It’s HUGE!!!” 

“Naruto!!” Sakura swats at his arm, her eyebrows furrowed. “Can’t you be a little quieter? What if there are enemies nearby?” She’s curious, sure, but she’s got more grace than Naruto. She lays her free hand on her hip, the other tightly intertwined with Ami’s hand. ‘Poor girl… She’s been scared to death ever since we ran into Seiko. I wonder if she understands what’s going on…’

Naruto scratches at his face as a sheepish grin settles in. “Sorry, Sakura-chan…”

She stares him down for a few more seconds before sighing. “It really is huge, isn’t it?” She’s smiling at him, her eyes curious. He visibly brightens, nodding along. 

“Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei, are there a lot of cool ninja in the capital? Besides those weird guards?”

Kakashi, who’d taken to leaning against one of the trees adjacent to Naruto and Sakura, taking in the views himself, clears his throat. “...The capital is the biggest city in the entire Land of Fire, but it’s made up of a civilian majority. There aren’t many active shinobi that live here.” 

Sakura glances towards Kakashi. “Really? Do you mean to say shinobis who retire come here?” 

“Maa, I suppose so,” Kakashi scratches at his chin, “given that they live long enough to retire. Most shinobi from Konoha stay within the city, even after retirement.”

Sakura nods along. ‘That makes sense. Who would want to leave behind everything and everyone they’ve ever known?’ When her eyes catch Sasuke’s, her conviction falters. ‘He’s been awfully quiet the entire mission, not even bickering with Naruto… Is he still thinking about…?’ She steels herself, her hand shifting from her hip to her side, forming a fist. ‘Sasuke-kun won’t leave. I know he won’t. Besides…’ He’s tired - even she can see that. He’s got deeper eyebags than any of them and he looks more pale than usual. He protected her and Ami when an enemy attacked, but… ‘Whatever’s going on, he needs more help than suspicion.’ 

Naruto fidgets with his bracelets, obviously ready to ask another question. “So… If there are a bunch of civilians, why do they need to have people like Seiko? Why don’t they have regular guards, ya know?”

Kakashi nods at him as if to acknowledge the question’s validity. They stand for a moment as he collects his thoughts, a gentle breeze flowing through the trees. “Seiko mentioned being one of the Daimyo’s right-hand guards. Think about it.” Naruto does a little ‘hmm’ as his eyes squeeze shut and he pouts. He scratches at his chin before crossing his arms, shoulders going up in a tiny shrug. Kakashi sighs, letting out a short chuckle. “If the Daimyo is the most important person to protect, then he’d have the most powerful people as his personal guards. Maybe that’s why Seiko could control their chakra and had some sort of lightning-based kekkei genkai. Just because they had chakra control doesn’t mean the other guards will.” 

“But, then… How many people are on the daimyo’s guard? What if we have to fight all of them?”

“Seiko was a part of a rebellion - not everyone on the daimyo’s personal guard will be out to get us. Still, the situation warrants caution.” 

“Right!!” Naruto nods, his free hand forming a fist as he grins. “Treat everybody like they could be an enemy, right?” 

“To put it simply, yes.” Kakashi takes one last look at his team and the city before them. “Miss Ami’s house is on the far side of the capital, near the Onto River. To avoid suspicion, take off your headbands and flak vests. From here on, we’ll be traveling under the guise of being civilian tourists. Got it?” The three of them nod, moving to take off their garments. “Good.” Kakashi unzips his flak vest, revealing the navy-blue sweater underneath. Out of the four of them, he’s the one who passes the least as civilian. ‘I’ve really got to start wearing some regular clothes again…’ Luckily, he’d thought of this plan before leaving the village, having brought an eyepatch with him. He looks around once more. “Ready? Then let’s go.”

The city is bigger on-foot than it looks from above, hundreds of vendors lining the streets, each one selling fruit, fish, books, tools, or other odds and ends. To blend in, they stop at a few vendors, perusing their wares. “Kaka-sensei, look!” Naruto picks up a gray and blue fish plushie, waving it at Kakashi. “It’s meant to be!!” Kakashi lets out a small, embarrassed “ha ha,” scratching his head.  
  
  
The vendor, a young man with a few freckles scattered about his face, looks the pair over. “Can I help you?”

“No, no. Thank you.” Kakashi says, laying his hand on Naruto’s back and guiding him away from the shop. Naruto lays the plushie down, hollering out “thank you!” as they leave. 

“Sakura-nee, look at this one!!” Ami holds up a small circular keychain with the kanji symbol for ‘courage’ embroidered with yarn in the center of it. 

Sakura looks it over, smiling at her. “Do you want it, Miss Ami?” 

“Uh-uh! You should have it, Sakura-nee! You’re way more brave than I am!” Ami grins at her, shoving the keychain into her hands. Sakura turns it over, feeling the delicate embroidery, her smile gets a little bit brighter than before. 

“Thank you, Miss Ami. I think I _will_ buy it.” After a few more minutes of looking, Ami decides on a small plastic keychain that’s in the shape of a cherry blossom tree. They alert the vendor, a middle-aged woman with dark, curly hair, and they’re once again on their way through town. “Why did you get a keychain like that?” 

“To remind me of you, Sakura-nee!! Look, it’s your namesake!” Sakura blinks at her, taken aback. Sasuke, who’d been all but shadowing the four of them, gives Ami an odd look. 

“To… remind you of me?” 

“Well, duh!!” She bounces on her heels, grin still firmly in place. “I got a role model now! I have to get something to remember you by!!”

Sakura lets out a nervous giggle, hands wringing together. “O-oh, okay. Thank you, Miss Ami…”

They come across a weapon stand and Sasuke stops, gazing at all of the different projectiles. The shop owner, a muscular woman with her hair tied back in a bandana, comes over to greet him. “You got a serious look on your face there, kid. Whatcha looking for?”

Sasuke glances up, shrugging a little bit before looking back down. He picks up a katana, examining its blade. “Now, uh… Not to be a pushover, but I’m gonna need a parent’s permission before I sell ya anything, ki--” Sasuke’s glare could melt ice on a snowy day, cutting the shop owner off in an instant. He lays the sword down, nodding briefly as he stalks off. 

“Hey bastard!” Naruto, who’d seen the end of the interaction, walks over to him, leaning in as he stage-whispers. “You could have told her you were a ninja, you know.”

Sasuke glares at him, though it lacks the ferocity that it once did. “Hn,” he shrugs Naruto away, walking towards whatever stand Ami has dragged Sakura to. 

Naruto’s eye twitches, his jaw clenching. “Try to be nice to a guy, I swear…” He lets out a ‘hmph,’ crossing his arms as he scans the crowd. Kakashi is talking to a merchant about… vegetables? Sakura and Ami are looking at dolls - well, more like Ami is showing Sakura different dolls and telling her how they could be better while Sakura stands there, nodding. Sasuke is… Well, he’s being Sasuke, brooding off in the corner, staring at the dolls as though they took his lunch money. Naruto’s never seen so many people walking around. Most of them are dressed up to the hilt, fancy clothes and jewelry, matched with fancy bags - it makes him feel out of place in his dirty t-shirt and pants. Even on the busiest market days in Konoha, the streets were never like this. ‘Was what that Seiko person said true? If there’s a place like this, are there also places where everything is completely run down?’ His shoulders droop as he imagines the possibility, every building looking worse than his apartment complex... ‘How is that fair?’

He’s broken out of his reverie when Sakura calls his name, beckoning for him. He bounds over, smiling at her. “Ne, ne, what is it, Sakura-chan?” 

She smiles, leaning in to whisper. “Guardsmen, 2 o’clock. Just act natural, okay?” 

He nods, smiling at her as he leans back, interlocking his arms behind his head. “That’s true! Ramen _does_ taste better when it’s cooled down a little.” She smiles at him, nodding, before going back to talking about dolls with Ami. Her stance has changed, if only a little bit. Her shoulders have tightened and her eyes gaze just above Ami’s shoulder, watching the guardsmen nearby. 

Naruto ambles over to Sasuke, bumping his shoulder as he grins. Sasuke looks up from the dolls, his eyebrow quirked in annoyance. “Guards, 2 o’clock.” He barely nods, turning slightly to be able to see the guards from the corner of his eye. Naruto’s grin remains firmly planted, his eyes hardening as his arms lower. The stand across from their ‘station’ is all about books. The old man smiles at him as he walks over, his eyes crinkled with age. 

“What can I get ya, son?” 

Naruto waves him off, picking up the first book within his reach. “Just looking, gramps. Thank you, though!” He turns the book in his hands, acting as though he’s scanning the summary as he peeks at the guards. 

Before long, the guards move along, talking about nothing in particular as they walk into another section of the market. The group visibly relaxes, moving on themselves. Before they know it, they’ve made it halfway into town. The market thins out into a more residential area, so the group reforms. Naruto and Sasuke on either side, Sakura and Ami holding hands in the middle, and Kakashi taking up the back, walking at a leisurely pace.  
  


When they’ve gone a few blocks without spotting any stands, Kakashi speaks up. “We should be okay to put our jackets and headbands back on now.” They stand off to the side of the road, unzipping their backpacks.

Naruto speaks up as he digs around for his headband. “What do the people in the capital do? Like, what are their jobs?” 

‘Always one for questions, huh?’ Kakashi sighs, eyebrow furrowing as he shrugs on his jacket. “Well, a lot of different things, I’m sure. There were all those vendors, of course, and most of the rest of them probably work in politics.”

“Politics?” He finds his headband, slipping it out and tying it around his forehead. 

“Yes, Naruto. The Daimyo’s people who, for example, do paperwork and set up meetings.”

“Ohhhh.” He forms a fist, slapping it into his open palm. “Okay!”    
  


They walk in silence for a few steps, before... “Set up meetings for what?” Kakashi groans, preparing for a long evening. ‘Didn’t anyone teach him about this stuff growing up?’ He pauses, cringing to himself. ‘I suppose not…’

It’s nearly 7 pm by the time they reach Ami’s house. It’s a modern home, lavish plants decorating their dark oak front porch. The curtains inside are all drawn, allowing the family a glimmer of privacy. The house’s siding is a dark navy blue, with each of the windows totting a hanging box planter full of flowers. Such a graceful exterior doesn’t seem to match the rambunctious eight-year old they’re dropping off, but they suppose the house doesn’t have to match its youngest inhabitant. They knock on the wooden door, waiting for a beat. No answer. “Are we… early or something?” Naruto walks around, trying to peek through a nearby window.

“The trip was meant to take two days,” Kakashi’s eyebrow is furrowed. ‘We’ve already had two assailants. Will there be a third? Right near the girl’s house?’

Ami staunters over to one of the plants, digging down to reveal a hidden key. “Mama and papa aren’t always home! No big deal!!” She turns, moving to stick the key in the door knob. 

“Wait,” Kakashi reaches out, motioning for her to hand over the key. He slowly turns it as she scampers over, hiding behind Sakura. The door creaks open, the house silent. They walk in, feet padding along the tatami floor. There’s a rustling in the other room, followed by a crash. 

“Mama, papa!?” Ami calls out, grasping Sakura’s shirt for dear life. The group turns the corner, following the noise down a short hallway. “This is where their bedroom is,” Ami whispers. Kakashi leans in, ear pressed against the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliff hangers are the only way I know how to end chapters, honestly. If the pacing of this mission is too slow or the characters start to become more out of character as we go along, don't hesitate to call me out on it! Any suggestions, criticisms, questions, etc. are always welcome (here or on tumblr, @leo-probably, you know the drill lol). Thank you again for your continued interest. Stay safe and have a good day!!


	12. The Other Side of the Door

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! What was on the other side of the door? Or should I say -who- was on the other side? We'll soon find out!
> 
> Thank you for your continued interest in this fic!! I hope you're all enjoying your time here. :^) As I said in the previous chapter, my college started class back up this past monday, the 24th, so I'll be updating this story whenever I have free time! I apologize in advance for any delays. And, of course, if you have any suggestions, criticisms (especially regarding pacing and fight scenes), or questions, feel free to leave them below, message me, or send an ask on tumblr @leo-probably. Thanks again, enjoy and stay safe!! 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter will contain mentions of blood. If you do not wish to read such a chapter, SKIP TO THE END NOTES and I'll leave a brief overview of the chapter for you!!

The air is thick with tension. Everyone holds their breath, stances tightening. There’s one more faint ‘thud’ noise from the other side of the door, followed by pure, haunting silence. Kakashi’s eye narrows as he holds up his hand, three fingers in the air. Naruto and Sasuke flank each side of the door as Sakura moves in between Kakashi and Ami. Kakashi’s ring finger lowers, two remaining in the air. Sakura’s kunai ‘shinks’ as it slides out of its holster, the sharpened blade glinting in the dimly lit hallway. The sun is beginning to set, sliding lazily over the horizon - bad news for Team 7, who is in unfamiliar territory without any other guiding light. Naruto and Sasuke grab for their kunai as Kakashi lowers his second finger, their gaze fierce. Naruto gulps, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

Kakashi’s pointer finger drops as he slides the door open. Slowly, at first, as though he expects an attacker to be waiting just behind the wall. As the door picks up speed, time seems to slow down. A yukata-clad guardsmen stands on the other side of the room, his eyes catching Kakashi’s as he scowls, flicking his yukata blade towards their group. It tumbles through the air, narrowly missing Kakashi’s ear, before embedding itself into the hallway wall. The smell of copper hits their noses, the blade dripping crimson down the once pristine cream wall. Ami lets out an ‘eek,’ cowering behind Sakura as Kakashi moves forward, bustling into the room as he rips his headband upward, revealing the sharingan below. Naruto and Sasuke follow, weaving around Kakashi and running towards the assailant. 

The assailant smirks, unsheathing yet another yukata from his back. This time, however, Kakashi grabs the blade mid-air, sending it spiraling back towards him. He sneers, moving to dodge to the left before realizing Naruto has reached him. He glances right and is met face-to-face with Sasuke’s kunai, the jab arching through the air. He ducks, narrowly avoiding the retaliating yukata and Naruto and Sasuke’s blow. There’s a woosh of air as Kakashi jumps, landing in front of the assailant in a crouch, kunai in hand. The three of them smirk, jabbing once more. Unable to dodge quickly enough, the assailant is impaled in both arms and his right leg, the blade tearing through his calf muscle. 

“Your first mistake,” Kakashi deadpans, eyes hard as he stands up, “was throwing away your only weapon.” He covers his sharingan once again, lowering his headband.

The assailant glares as he falls to his knees, teeth grinding in pain. Ami peaks around Sakura, checking to see if the battle is over, but-- “It doesn’t matter!! You’re already too late!” The man nods his head towards the center of the room, sneering at them.

“Too late?” Naruto, who’d been directing all of his attention towards the assailant, cocks his eyebrow, his gaze lowering, trailing along the tatami floor, following along the blood-soaked footsteps of their fallen assailant. The room goes cold. He gulps, visibly paling. 

“...Mama? Papa?” Ami’s voice shakes, fresh tears running down her cheeks. In the center of the room lie her parents, bruised, battered, and sliced. Sasuke feels a wave of nausea roll over his chest as she lets go of Sakura, running towards them. Kakashi’s gaze wavers, barely able to bring himself to look at the scene before him. “Mama!!! Papa!!!” She kneels before them, shaking, her breathe coming out in tiny puffs. They look pale, as though they were sick. She reaches out, her hand landing on her father’s blood-soaked shoulder, “... papa?” Her voice cracks, barely a whisper. She shakes him a tiny bit, her breathing more ragged by the second. “Papa!?” 

Sakura is by her side, kneeling down as she puts a hand on Ami’s back. “Miss Ami…”

“Papa!?” She shakes him more violently, her entire body rocking back and forth with the effort. Her eyes widen in sheer panic. “Papa!!! Papa!!!” Sakura holds her, tears freely streaming down her face. Sasuke can’t bring himself to look away, his mind going numb. Naruto’s jaw clenches, his fist curled into balls as he looks away, eyes dark.   
  
The assailant chuckles, still kneeling in place. “What, first time you lot have ever seen a death? The ninja world is going to eat you alive.” Naruto wheels on him, seething as he slams his fist into the attacker’s face. There’s a ‘crunch’ as the attacker falls backwards, crashing to the floor. 

Naruto waltzes over, picking the man up by his yukata. “Who the fuck do you think you are, huh!? They’re her parents!!!” He shakes the man, his bloody nose splattering Naruto’s face. “Well!?” He snarls, fist tightening as he looks back, first at Sasuke, who is still staring into space, then at Ami’s shaking form, her shrieks piercing the room. 

The man’s eyes narrow as he spits blood, sneering at Naruto. “That’s just the way it is.”   
  
“Why I oughtta--” Kakashi, who’d seemingly frozen in place, breaks from his reverie at Naruto’s words, cutting off Naruto’s line of thought. Naruto stares at Kakashi as he kneels, checking for a pulse. They stand for a beat, pins and needles rippling as they hold their breath.

“…We have to get them to a hospital. Right now.” Kakashi’s voice is gravely serious as he stands, carrying Ami’s mother bridal-style with him. 

“H-huh?” Naruto’s grip on the man loosens, his eyes widening. 

“It’s weak, but they’ve got a pulse.” 

Sakura stands, pulling Ami with her. Naruto laughs in relief, completely dropping the assailant. “Come on, Sasuke!! Help me get him up!” Sasuke’s eyes are still blank, far away from this blood-soaked room. 

“S-sasuke-kun?” 

Sasuke blinks, his eyes narrowing, “...right.” Naruto and Sasuke both sling an arm over their shoulder, hoisting the man off the ground. His blood soaks their clothes, seeping through the fabric onto their skin. It’s warm and sticky. The gravity of the situation hits them like a brick. 

Kakashi focuses his gaze on Ami. “Ami, where is the nearest hospital?” Ami hiccups, her voice catching in her throat. “Ami!” 

“F-five minutes away, maybe… B-by that one alleyway we passed ea-earlier…” 

“Let’s go.” 

They run as fast as possible, Kakashi carrying Ami’s mother, Naruto and Sasuke shouldering Ami’s father, and Sakura all but carrying Ami as they traverse to the nearest hospital. The sun has almost completely set, soft lilac and midnight blue mixing in with the last wisps of orange in the sky. They rip down the streets, frantically passing by residential housing full of laughter, the scent of dinner mingling with the stench of blood. After what seems like forever, they’ve found the hospital Ami was talking about. It’s a quant place with no more than ten beds and the nurses at the front desk startle as they bust through the door, panting and blood-soaked. A few nurses wheel two gurneys to the entrance, pausing long enough for Ami’s parents to hit the sheets before they’re off again. Another nurse runs up to them, clipboard in hand. “What happened!?” 

“There was--” Sakura gasps, swallowing hard, “an attack at the Hiroko residence nearby. We found them like that.” The nurse nods, scribbling down a few notes on her clipboard before running off once more.

“Kakashi, we have to go back and deal with the assailant.” Sasuke’s voice is cool, his eyes indecipherable.

“We can’t all go back and leave Ami open to attack...” Kakashi rubs at his chin, his eye hard. 

Sasuke lets out a ‘tch,’ biting his lip. He looks around, taking in the four of them. “I’ll go back.” 

If it’s possible, Kakashi’s eye darkens even more. “Are you sure, Sasuke?” His voice is tight.

“... Yeah.”

Kakashi nods, face deadly serious. “Be sure to come back as soon as possible.” Sasuke nods, heading back out into the night. Sakura and Naruto watch his back as he goes. “Now comes the waiting game…” 

Sasuke runs down the path, his breath coming out in huffs. What an odd sight he must be - a ninja in a civilian town, soaked in someone else’s blood. He reaches Ami’s house much faster than before, catching his breath as he walks through the open doorway. They’d left a trail of blood, leading through Ami’s house into her parent’s bedroom. The nausea hits him once again as he inhales. He’s reminded of that night-- He shakes his head, breaking his chain of thoughts. ‘Assailant first.’ He pads through the house, silent but quick, making his way towards the bedroom. 

“Come back to finish the job?” The assailant is still there, lying on his back. Either he couldn’t get up with the kunai in his calf muscle or he didn’t want to, but he’s talking before Sasuke even hits the doorway, his voice bouncing through the empty house. 

Sasuke turns, walking through the door frame, a cold glare gracing his face. “You wish it was that simple.”

The man chuckles, lifting himself into a stunted crunch position, glaring at Sasuke. “Arrogant as always, you shinobi…” He scoffs, lowering himself back to the ground. Sasuke steps in a puddle of blood and his chest tightens, his face scrunching up even harder. He keeps moving, waiting until he’s near the man before kneeling down, unzipping his backpack and pulling out his leftover rope. “What, not even going to kill me? A shame, really…”

“Shut up.” 

“What, are you too afraid to kill me? Or are you too _weak_?” 

Sasuke’s eyes snap upwards, a kunai in hand and aimed at the man’s neck within seconds. “I said to **_shut up_**.” 

The man chuckles as Sasuke presses the blade down, nicking his neck. “Struck a chord, did I?” His nose is still bleeding and bent in odd ways - Naruto must have broken it. Sasuke moves to tie the man up, dragging him towards the wall and propping him against it before unraveling what’s left of his rope. “Whoever you’re leaving me to, I won’t say a single word to them about our plans. They’ll execute me before they get my motives.” Sasuke says nothing, tying the rope around the man as tightly as possible. The man winces, continuing on. “That is, if I even _had_ motives…”

“ _What was it all for!? Why did you do this, big brother?_ ” Sasuke had been so desperate to pretend none of it was reality. “ _To test myself... To test my power._ ” He scoffs, teeth grinding together as he pulls on the rope, making the material dig deeper into the man’s wounds. He winces, glaring at Sasuke. 

Sasuke stands, scowling at the man. “You… are a pitiful excuse for a human being.” His fists clenched, he drags the man (now tied around his torso and ankles) into the corner, away from the view of the room’s only window. 

“You’re not so great yourself. You know nothing about the way this world works, kid.” The man lets out an ‘oof’ as Sasuke drops him, his shoulder slamming into the wall and aggravating his arm wound. 

Sasuke turns to leave, grabbing his backpack from the floor and zipping it up. He gazes at the puddle of blood pooling in the center of the floor, his eyes hardening as he bites his lip. “...I know plenty.” 

He walks back to the hospital in somewhat of a daze, soaked, cold, and drained. When he arrives, he spots Team 7 and Ami sitting down in some of the chairs off to the corner of the waiting room. Kakashi sighs as Sasuke sits down, his hand landing on Sasuke’s shoulder. Sasuke wonders if the action is more for his sake or Kakashi’s, but doesn’t try to push him away. Naruto sits on Kakashi’s other side and leans forward to greet him. “Yo, bastard…” his voice lacks its usual cheer and his eyes are cloudy. 

Sasuke nods at him, “... loser…” Sakura looks over briefly, giving him a tired smile. She’s got Ami curled up in her lap, the front of her dress tear-stained and wet with blood. Ami has stopped sobbing, but her breath is still uneven, her hands shaky. The silence is almost as unbearable as it would have been sitting in that house, broken only by Ami’s soft sniffles.

After a few minutes, a nurse comes out with a grave look on her face, clutching a clipboard. “Excuse me, are you all here for the Hiroko couple?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brief chapter overview (contains spoilers, obviously): Another yukata-clad guard has attacked, this time taking down Ami's mother and father. A short battle ensues with Team 7 being the victor. Surprisingly, Ami's parents are still alive, so they are rushed to a nearby hospital. While most of Team 7 stays at the hospital to guard Ami, Sasuke heads back to the house to tie up the assailant. The assailant accuses him of "knowing nothing about the way the world works," to which Sasuke says he knows "plenty." At the very end of the chapter, Sasuke returns to the hospital, where upon a nurse emerges, bearing news about the fate of Ami's parents. The chapter ends on a cliff-hanger. 
> 
> Thank you again for reading! :^) (PS - I've tried to take into account the comments about more filler sentences and having the reader be more engaged rather than moving so fast. Let me know if it's any better in this regard if you want to, I'll continue to try to work on it! The battle in this chapter was purposefully short, since the guard wasn't as strong.)


	13. Playing the Waiting (Room) Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is incredibly short compared to my usual uploads (only about 900 words vs the usual 2,000) but I wanted to make sure I uploaded what I got done before I fell asleep since I won't be able to work on this tomorrow and I don't want to delay an update any longer!! I plan on releasing a second (normal length) chapter or two within this week. I have a plan for ending this mission arc and even more of a plan for what comes next, so keep on your toes!!!
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience. I hope you're all still having a nice time here, happy reading! :) Now, on with the mini chapter!!! lol

The nurse glances down, skimming the clipboard in her hands. Kakashi nods, his hand dropping from Sasuke’s shoulder. “Ah, yes ma’am. We’re here for the Hiroko couple.” 

She reads a few more lines from her notes, glancing between their ragtag group and the clipboard. “Can I talk to you away from the children?” Kakashi blinks at her, momentarily surprised, before nodding once more.  
  
  
He rises from his chair as Naruto sends an accusatory glare at the nurse. “Children!?” Sakura narrows her eyes at him, daring him to cause a scene, and he slumps back, defeated. “I’ll give you ‘children’...” he mutters, crossing his arms. 

Kakashi and the nurse head over to the lobby’s main desk, just out of earshot. She lays her clipboard on the countertop, setting it down with a ‘clack’ before facing Kakashi once more. She inhales, her eyes deadly serious. “They’re out of critical condition... for now.” 

Kakashi leans in, his eyebrow narrowing. “For now?” 

“They’d lost a lot of blood by the time you brought them in, but their wounds weren’t in critical areas. It looks as though whoever did this meant to keep them alive.” She pauses, looking away as her fingers tap against the countertop. “Or, perhaps, they were not refined professionals. We’re not equipped to do such analysis, of course…” 

Kakashi nods, sighing as he leans back. “So, as long as nothing unexpected happens…?” 

“Yes, as long as they can be kept in a stable condition and we have enough blood to use in the transfusions, they’ll be fine. However…” She bites her lip, glancing over the rest of the clipboard, too quickly to actually read anything. “We’re a civilian hospital; we’re not equipped for attacks. I can send word to the daimyo’s guard and ask for--”

“No.”

She blinks, trying to catch his eye. “...Pardon me?” 

He chuckles, scratching the back of his head, trying to play off his outburst. “You don’t have to call the daimyo’s guard quite yet. My team and I,” he gestures towards Team 7, “have been tasked to protect their daughter, Ami. We can watch over the three of them for the night. Really, it’s no trouble.”

She eyes him, looks Team 7 up and down, then eyes him again, sighing. “I suppose that will do, yes. Let me just notify my superiors, we’ll set you up in their room.” 

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“No need to thank me,” she picks up her clipboard, “it’s not my life on the line.” She smiles at him, the look straining against her face. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.” Kakashi lets out another tired chuckle as she walks away, heading down a nearby corridor. He looks over at his team, sitting there in their blood-soaked clothes. Naruto catches his eye and cocks his head, a single eyebrow raising. Kakashi holds up a finger before pointing towards the corridor that the nurse went down. He doesn’t look appeased, leaning over to whisper to Sasuke. Sasuke stares at him, considering his words. Kakashi can’t hear his response, but whatever it was insulted Naruto - he starts waving his fist in Sasuke’s face, angrily stage-whispering something. Sakura breaks one arm free from Ami’s grasp, yanking Naruto’s ear. Whether it was something she whispered or her demeanor alone, Naruto pouts, leaning back in his chair. 

“Excuse me, sir?” Kakashi looks over, too wrapped up in his team’s dramatics to notice the nurse’s approach. “My supervisor has given the okay for you all to set up camp in the Hiroko room. Gather your team, please.” 

He nods, heading over to Team 7 to share the news. They perk up as he walks towards them, awaiting his directions. “We’ll be taking guard over Miss Ami’s parents tonight, since we’re not sure what their original attacker’s motives were.” He pauses, letting his words set in. Sakura looks like she has questions, but stays quiet. “In the morning, I’ll head in to speak with the Daimyo in person - from there, he can appoint people he trusts to watch over them. Got it?” They nod, moving to stand. Ami wobbles on her feet, her hands firmly latched onto Sakura’s shirt, as they make their way down the hospital corridor. Their footsteps echo throughout the hallway, the sound as hollow as they all feel. Gurneys and IV stands line the walls, the smell of antiseptic permeating every square inch of space. 

Four twists and turns later, they make it to Ami’s parent’s room. “There’s a bathroom inside the room itself and another one down the hall, to the right. If you need anything, come get one of the nurses. And…” she gives them a once over, taking in their bloody, dirty clothes, “if you want, there are some hospital gowns you can change into in the closet. On the house.” She runs down her clipboard once more before bowing, turning on her heels, and starting back down the corridor. 

“‘On the house,’ huh? Yeah, so hospitable of you, seeing as we’re ‘children’ and all... “ Naruto sticks his tongue out at her retreating form, crossing his arms. 

Kakashi opens the door, peeking his head inside before turning back to his team. “We’ll all be taking the first shift. After that, Sakura and I will take the second. Naruto, Sasuke - you’ll take the third. By then, I should be able to get in contact with the Daimyo. If any suspicious happens, alert the others. Understood?” They all nod. “Good.” He turns, opening the door once again, standing to the side so his team can usher inside. The beeping of machines and the mixture of blood and antiseptic hits their noses and they cringe.   
  
  
Ami's parents are laid up in bed, clear tubes and thin wires circling their bodies like visible auras. Ami gasps, moving to run over to them. "Wait, Miss Ami," Sakura grabs her arm, stopping Ami in her tracks. "We have to be gentle with them - they need their medicine, right?" 

Ami sniffles, tears already pricking the corners of her eyes. "Mhm."  


"So then why don't you come sit down and we'll put you right next to your papa. That way you can keep an eye on him." Sakura attempts a warm smile, her eyebrows crinkling downwards.   


"O-okay..." Her voice is wet, thick with tears and snot. Sakura takes her hand and guides her over, sitting down and patting the seat closest to the hospital bed. Ami tentatively sits down and Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke follow, closing the door behind them. 


	14. A Night at the Hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course I've got to post a chapter on Naruto's birthday!!!! Especially considering it's Naruto's Birthday -and- Sasuke Saturday. 
> 
> In general,,, I'm not gone, I promise, just very busy lol. I will be working on a second chapter tonight (so check back soon) but I don't have a set deadline for any other chapters. Thank you all for your continued interest in this fic! I hope you're having a good October and, as always, if you have any questions, criticisms, or suggestions feel free to tell me about it in the comments below or on tumblr @leo-probably! Now, on with the fic!!!
> 
> PS - I went back and minorly edited one of the chapters to include Team 7 putting on their ninja gear (including their flak vests) once they hit the residential area of the capital. I realized I had conflicting information from that chapter to another one later in the sequence (and would have had conflicting info in this chapter, too). Nothing too major, but I wanted to address it just in case! :^)

The five of them sit around the room, the clock on the wall ticking seconds away. Ami clutches her father’s hand, her tiny knuckles turning white under the pressure. Sakura sits next to her, rubbing soothing circles into her back. Sakura looks tired, her eyebrows furrowed, a pensive look on her face. If the hospital bothers her, she doesn’t let on. Kakashi sits in the middle of the room, by the wall overlooking both hospital beds. The bathroom door is to his left and Sakura’s right. The streetlight outside cascades rays of light into their dim room, highlighting Kakashi’s worn features and reddened clothes. Naruto and Sasuke sit nearest to the door, across from Ami’s mother. Sasuke’s chair is diagonal, halfway between Kakashi and Naruto. Naruto pivots between sitting in his chair and pacing around the room. Sasuke eyes him every so often, frowning, before once again adopting a thousand-yard stare, looking nowhere in particular. The room’s relative quiet continues, the silence broken only by the beeping machines and Naruto’s dampened footsteps. 

“...Gah!!!!!!” Naruto plops back into his chair, teeth grinding together. He scoots his chair over to Sasuke, leaning in so that Kakashi can hear him. “This is going to be the longest night ever. Why do we have to be in their room? Can’t we stand guard outside the window and in the hallway? This beeping is driving me nuts!” 

“We’re still in the middle of our mission, Naruto. Think about it carefully.” Kakashi looks… more tired than usual. 

Naruto huffs out a sigh, leaning back in his chair. He makes a few grunting noises, scratching at his face. Sasuke eyes him, a bemused smirk forming on his face despite himself.

“Sensei?” Sakura pipes up from the corner, the light filtering in and hitting her hair in a near-halo effect. “Will… will Mr. and Mrs. Hiroko be okay?” Her voice is small, timid - she’s never been in this position before. The last time she was in the hospital… She looks over at Sasuke, unable to decipher his expression in the dark room. She bites her lip. 

“Earlier, the nurse told me that they were in stable condition.” He smiles at her, his eye closing. He’s not sure she can see it, but she seems to relax. “It’s a good thing we got there in time.” 

‘Got there in time, huh?’ Sasuke tries to shake it, but images flash through his head, a montage of grief. The beeping of the heart monitor matches the parade. He blinks and he sees his auntie, lying on the ground. “ _Sorry I’m late!_ ” He’d only been practicing shuriken techniques, he was sure his mother would understand. Naruto shifts in his seat, impatient and uncomfortable. Sasuke’s eyes snap towards him, but it’s not Naruto he sees. 

“ _It’s a good thing we got there in time._ ” He sees his clansmen, nameless and forgotten, falling to the ground. He feels blood that was never there splash, soaking his face - it’s warm. Unconsciously, he reaches up, scrubbing at his cheek. The feeling doesn’t go away. Kakashi glances towards him, but Sasuke is too far away to realize. He feels himself run towards his house. Towards his family. 

“ _It’s a good thing we got there in time,_ ” but the statement is garbled - the voice he hears is his brother's. Sasuke stands so abruptly that Naruto startles in his seat. “I’ve got to go to the bathroom,” he says, his voice tight. 

Naruto blinks at him as he walks away. “Oi, bastard! You scared me!!” The bathroom door opens, light momentarily filtering into the room, and closes with a thud. “Seriously, waiting until you have to go so bad you’re practically running…” Naruto mutters, his arms crossed as he pouts. 

They sit in relative silence for the next few minutes as Naruto shifts in his seat. Ami starts to drift off, her grip loosening on her father’s hand. Her head dips forward and pops up. Sakura helps her lean down, carefully laying her head on her father’s side. She’s snoring within minutes. Once he’s sure Ami is asleep, Naruto grunts, his aggravation rising. “Where is Sasuke!? Did he skip out on us or something!?”

Sakura sends him an admonishing glare. “Naruto!!” she whispers, her annoyance clear, “he’s probably just going to the bathroom. Would you shut up? The walls aren’t sound-proof, you know!” Naruto pouts, but doesn’t retaliate, slumping further down into his chair. 

A few more minutes pass by before Naruto gets up, pacing once more. Sakura sighs, gently brushing curly strands of ginger hair out of Ami’s face. She wonders if Ami will ever forget about this night. After a few laps around the room, Naruto presses his ear into the bathroom door, his eyebrow quirked. Sakura looks over, the curiosity on her face soon replaced with annoyance. “Naruto!! What did I tell you--” They hear a crash and suddenly they’re all up, on guard. Naruto scrambles to open the door, his eyes narrowing. 

Sasuke stands inside the bathroom, breath ragged. He stands in front of the porcelain sink, it’s sterile white sheen quickly covered with dripping blood. The mirror in front of him is shattered and his fingers are bloody. His hands shake. His flak vest, still soaked in blood, looks to have been thrown across the room; it’s haphazardly slung over the shower’s lip. Naruto is moving in two seconds flat, crossing the short distance between them and reaching out to grab Sasuke’s arm. Sasuke flinches away, seething, before turning his glare on Naruto. His eyes are so far away. Naruto tries again, grabbing Sasuke’s shoulder. “What… happened?” Sasuke’s glare lightens slightly as he seems to snap back into place. His eyes wander towards the broken mirror as he scowls. 

Kakashi sighs from his position in the doorway. “Let’s have a talk.” 

Naruto turns, blinking at Kakashi. He turns back to Sasuke, looking between his friend and the mirror. “Yeah… A talk!” He catches Sakura’s eye as they move and she seems to be just as out of the loop as he feels. Sasuke sighs, his grip tightening. He walks out behind Naruto, his jacket forgotten on the bathroom floor. 

They all sit down, shifting their chairs so that they’re in a near-square in the center of the room. Ami is still asleep, snoring softly. Sakura’s hands wring through her hair, a nervous tic she’d picked up in her Academy days. Naruto sits with his arms crossed, glancing between Kakashi and Sasuke. Kakashi scratches at the back of his head, leaning back in his chair. Sasuke’s eyes are trained on the floor, a scowl firmly set into his face. Neither of them seem to be willing to budge. Eventually, his curiosity gets the best of him. “Kaka-sensei, what do you want to tell us about?” 

“Naruto!!” Sakura scolds, swatting at his knee. Naruto watches Kakashi, expectant.

“When... “ Kakashi’s eye, half-lidded, slides to the ceiling. He seems to be struggling to form the words. Or, perhaps, he wasn’t sure what he was going to talk about himself. Even Sasuke’s gaze lifts, his eyebrow quirking in Kakashi’s direction. “My father was the one who took care of me when I was young.” Kakashi shifts in his seat. “He was a single parent and still on active duty, but he did his best. From what I remember…” Kakashi chuckles, but it’s strained, “he was a good father.”

Naruto begins to ask a question, the words on the tip of his tongue, but cuts himself off. Now isn’t the time.

“His name was Sakumo, although you three might know him as the White Fang of Konoha.” The name rings a bell, but none of them are exactly sure where Kakashi is going with this. “He was a good man. Kind, caring…” Kakashi’s voice is wistful, as though he’s remembering a life that wasn’t quite his. “Not only that, he was a good shinobi. Skilled in combat, he was renowned by comrades and enemies alike… There was nothing that could take him down.”  
  
“He sounds wonderful, sensei.” Sakura sends him a small smile and Kakashi feels himself return it. He scratches the back of his head, feeling the hair tug against his glove, before continuing. 

“When I was four, he went on an important mission with some allies. At the end of the mission, it came down to two choices - his team or his objective.”

“Of course he saved his team! Right, Kaka-sensei!?” Naruto is captivated, leaning forward in his chair, his eyes trained on Kakashi. 

“He did.” Naruto nods to himself, smiling. Sakura eyes him curiously, still trying to connect the dots. “But the village didn’t see it as the right choice. He’d failed the objective of an important mission for our Land and, in the process, cost them valuable intel.” Even Sasuke is looking at him, soaking in the information. 

“What did… what did they do to him?” Sakura’s voice comes out a hushed whisper, as though she’s so afraid of the answer that she doesn’t dare ask the question.

“…Soon after that mission, I found my father dead.” 

“D-dead!?” Sakura’s eyes widen, her mouth dropping open. 

“Kakashi-sensei, you’ve got to be kidding, right!? How did he die!?”

Kakashi swallows, then swallows again. His adam’s apple bobs, his voice stuck in his throat. It’d been over twenty years since that fateful night and Kakashi still wasn’t brave enough to acknowledge it, to say what had happened. He catches Sasuke’s eye in his peripheral and he knows that now, on this very night, he must say the words. “... It was suicide.” It comes out as a hollow whisper. 

“...Sensei?” Tears stream down Sakura’s face, her voice small.

“Those who break the rules in the ninja world,” Kakashi’s voice cracks, “are _scum_. My father was ashamed. He’d saved his comrades and received nothing but grief in return. It took ahold of his heart until there was nothing left.” Kakashi lets out a shaky sigh. “I know now that he was right to save his friends. He did the right thing. I just wish others had seen it that way, back then.” Naruto frowns, unsure what to say. “When I saw him lying there… I vowed that I’d never break a rule. Everything would be by the book. When Obito died I--” He swallows hard, “The point is, I never handled anything in the right way. I never surpassed my grief. Hell, I never even _acknowledged_ it.” He glances around at his team. So tiny, yet already ninjas. So tiny, yet already they’ve seen so much. How much younger had he been when he was thrown into the war? “You three can do better. You can get past it and be better. But to do that,” he tries to catch Sasuke’s eye, “you need to open up to those who care.” Sasuke scowls, saying nothing. 

“I know that tonight was traumatic. Truly, I do. It’s opened old wounds. But, maybe…” He scratches at his head, shifting in his seat. “Maybe it’s time to reclose them the right way.” They sit in a stunned silence for a few moments. Naruto slumps, his face glum. Sakura bites at her lips, her hands still wringing through her pink locks. Sasuke seems stuck in thought, still staring at Kakashi’s face. Suddenly, it’s hard to breathe. Stifling. No one is quite sure what to say or where to go next.

Naruto’s head pops up. “Sensei!” His eyes are hard, determined. Kakashi looks at him, quizzical. “Your father was a good man and so are you.” Kakashi’s visible eye widens. He’s frozen in place as Naruto bounds forward, yanking Sasuke with him into a hug. 

Sakura joins in, a shaky smile on her face. “We can _all_ do better, sensei.”

Kakashi chuckles, wrapping his arms around his kids. After a moment, he even feels Sasuke’s arm wrap around him, tentatively gripping his side. In this sterile, dark hospital room, it feels like there’s finally some room to breathe.


End file.
